Ok, I've had it! I'm seriously frustrated with the amount of ignorance that surrounds me! Seriously! I honestly didn't want to write about the Trayvon Martin case. As a matter of fact, I couldn't. I didn't know what I could say that would be different from everyone else. Am I upset? Yes. Do I want Zimmerman to hear the music? Yes. Do I think the justice system is corrupt? HYFR! But instead of sitting here, writing and complaining about it, I had to do something, meaning prompting action from student organizations, attending a justice rally, spamming my Twitter with #DCforTrayvon, and having a moment to ball my eyes out.
So why now?
Fox News (we already know their rep with minorities in general) has decided to play devil's advocate and prompt the question: what if Trayvon actually stole that bag of candy and ice tea? “No receipt was found by investigators for the candy or the tea Martin was menacing at George Zimmerman when the neighborhood watchman was forced to defend himself,” said news anchors.
Oh, it gets better. The police chief Bill “Bull” Lee reported also finding 34 cents and a couple of baseball cards. Lee said “We concluded that the suspect must have stolen the candy and tea, and in my mind that bolstered Mr. Zimmerman’s self-defense claim. A criminal brandishing his stolen goods can be quite threatening when you’re following him in your SUV with a nine-millimeter, semi-auto handgun loaded with a full clip of hollow-point ammo.”
Did anyone else pick up on the stupidity here? If you will excuse me, I'm about to go in for a second:
1. "No receipt was found"Since when did a corner store give out receipts?! I could be wrong, but usually, rarely ever in my experience. Have they considered the possibility that he could have thrown it away? Did they even talk to the convenience store clerk? From these quotes, I assume not.
2. “We concluded that the suspect must have stolen the candy and tea..." I'm going to safely assume when he said "we" he meant the Stanford Police Department, so since they concluded he was guilty before proven innocent, I conclude that they were corrupt from the get go. So the fact that there was no receipt and the clear fact that he was black means he stole the candy and tea?
Role reversal: If a white guy was murdered with ice tea and candy, would we "conclude" he stole it because he had no receipt?
3. "In my mind that bolstered Mr. Zimmerman’s self-defense claim" Gee Sherlock! I didn't know that a receipt, which probably never even existed to begin with, is justification enough to prove self-defense. "Stolen candy" is enough to prove self-defense? What planet are we on?!!?
4. A criminal brandishing his stolen goods can be quite threatening when you’re following him in your SUV with a nine-millimeter, semi-auto handgun loaded with a full clip of hollow-point ammo.”
What the flying f***k? ....a boy with "stolen" candy and tea ....."can be quite threatening"....."when you're following him in your SUV with a nine-mm handgun!!!"
WHERE IS THE LOGIC??!?!!? I can't find it. I can't. Anyone who attempts to defend this is, in my educated opinion, a perfect candidate to be admitted into a mental institution (to put it nicely).
I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated that it's taken another life to realize that this has been a constant pattern! One instance is bad enough, but when Trayvon becomes the face of those before him who have lost their lives unjustly and their murderer let go with minimal punishment, it's time that we've had enough. I'm going to need everyone to wake up from their perfect perception of reality. I'm going to need white people to understand that they've been blinded by white privilege and a majority cannot even remotely empathize with the plight of minorities. I'm going to need the hispanic/latino community to speak up. This man claims to be Hispanic, attempting to cancel out the race card. But let's be honest. How many times have you been discriminated against by a white or black person. This could've been you too. Speak up and stand up for what's right. Racial prejudice against any race is wrong, even if it's white vs. black, black vs. hispanic, or white vs. hispanic. Finally, I'm going to need out youth the take a stand. This could've been you. Everyday, someone your age is discriminated against, hurt or killed strictly based on what he looks like. Don't let it be your brother, your cousin, your father, your or your uncle.
Do something.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
What Are You? I Am What You Want Me To Be.
So I had the task of writing a personal bio about myself focusing on race. I though it would be a breeze but it definitely took a lot of strength for my to write this. I hope you like it and it gets you thinking about who you really are.
“What are you?” Besides human, I am what you want me to be. If a student approaches me from the African Student Association, I identify as Tanzanian. If a student approached me from the Association of Caribbean Educators and Students, I identify as Trinidadian. If asked to check off my ethnic background on a college application, I identify as Black, Non-Hispanic.
I was born and raised in Washington, DC in a mediocre townhome in the Petworth neighborhood. My parents taught me the importance of book smarts; however, to “fit in,” I had to learn street smarts. I felt my way around the city, picking up slang I’d only use around my friends, listening to the newest Hip-Hop mixtape or a TCB, XIB, or Reactions Go-Go remix, and discovering that French fries smothered in mambo sauce is essential to any afterschool snack. Here, in the inner city, I am black.
At home, I grew up in the middle of a unique venn diagram. In one circle was my father, my Trinidadian blood. He came to America as a young teenager with my grandmother and his four brothers. His accent is long gone, but I always heard it when he laughed, called my name, or got really angry. From a young age, his longing for home became embedded in my childhood. As he danced me to sleep on his shoulder, my father would turn to “Caribbeana” every Sunday night and we’d listen to the sounds of steel pans or a combination of live Soca and Calypso with slower Parang and Chutney tunes. On special occasions, my dad would fry some ripe plantains for dinner or make his favorite: rice and corn beef. Every summer, we went to New York to visit my grandma, who would make everything from roti to rice and peas, and curry chicken. What made me proud to be “Trini” is the DC Carnival every June. I felt like I was “home.” The music, food, the dancing; year after year, I find myself enveloped. I’m more than just the color of my skin. When I’m dancing down the road and someone wants to know what I am, I am Trinidadian.
In the other circle is my mother, my Tanzanian blood. My grandfather was the Tanzanian Ambassador to the United States. My mother, also as a young teenager, came to America with my “Bibi,” or grandmother, and her seven other siblings. Unlike my father, my mother’s accent is thicker than soup. When she talks, I sometimes find myself laughing at her funny pronunciations. Not the mention my mom’s amazing cooking! When I came home from my third semester of college, she had “nyama choma,” or roasted meat, with “chapati”, a flat bread, and three golden brown “samosas,” fried vegetable pastries. My Tanzanian blood is shown beyond songs, food, or clothing. It has taken the form of my first name. “Malaika, nakupenda Malaika.” In English, it translates into “Angel, how I love you Angel.” The “Malaika” song originated long before I was born. It was used as their wedding song and according to my mother, I was befitting of my name. When someone asks about my name and it’s origin, I proudly proclaim my identity as Tanzanian.
“What am I?” I am not just Black because my skin says so. I am not just African American because my name has Swahili origins and I am not just a Caribbean American because I feel Soca and Calypso. I am what you want me to be. I am all the above.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Remembering MLK By Reflecting on the Future
I hope everyone is enjoying this MLK Holiday weekend! I could write a long post about his history, how he's touched my life, etc. but in all honesty, I want you to watch this clip from the Boondocks first.
The clip in its context is humorous but it really did pose a question I saw in a few Tweets and Facebook statuses: What would Martin Luther King Jr. think of the progress we've made today? The obvious answer is "HELL NO!" The music, the use of "nigger," and the achievement gap between minorities and whites are only a few issues. But what about gay marriage? What about having an African American president? What about the recent revolutions in Egypt and Nigeria? What about the light skin vs. dark skin conundrum?
Racial issues still exist but they're also manifested in other issues some refuse to acknowledge as significant.
As this day draws to a close, I hope everyone continues to think about progress and celebrate how far we've come. However, I want everyone to think how much progress we have left. We've forged a path through the battle against racial discrimination, now it's up to us to continue our progress in LGBTQ rights, foreign and domestic policies, and inner-racial conflicts.
The clip in its context is humorous but it really did pose a question I saw in a few Tweets and Facebook statuses: What would Martin Luther King Jr. think of the progress we've made today? The obvious answer is "HELL NO!" The music, the use of "nigger," and the achievement gap between minorities and whites are only a few issues. But what about gay marriage? What about having an African American president? What about the recent revolutions in Egypt and Nigeria? What about the light skin vs. dark skin conundrum?
Racial issues still exist but they're also manifested in other issues some refuse to acknowledge as significant.
As this day draws to a close, I hope everyone continues to think about progress and celebrate how far we've come. However, I want everyone to think how much progress we have left. We've forged a path through the battle against racial discrimination, now it's up to us to continue our progress in LGBTQ rights, foreign and domestic policies, and inner-racial conflicts.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Five Texts You Always Hate Getting During the Holidays
Have you watched Inception? Do you remember that mind fucked feeling after walking out of the movie? Yeah, I'm recovering from something close to that. I humbly dub it "Post Finals Traumatic Stress Syndrome."
Treatment: Isolation and hibernation for 24 hours. Boy, it felt soooo good!
After awaking from my beautiful slumber, I wake up to two texts and a Facebook message. I've seen them plenty times before and I'm not surprised that I'm seeing them again. But dang!! If you're sending the same message every year like clock work, and I still don't respond...get the hint. Anyway, here are the five texts that I see every single winter break. Have you seen these before?
5. I've missed you! We should hang out soon!
90% of the time, I respond, "Oh yeah definitely!" and mean it. The other 10% of the time I'm like, "Oh yea definitely! [When hell freezes over -____-]." Sorry to be harsh but let's be honest: if you haven't bothered to "hang out" during the other 350 days, 8403 hours, 504207 minutes, and 302525XX seconds! of the year!!
4. Long time no talk! How've you been?
[EXPLICATIVE!!!!!] This would be an acceptable text from a best friend you haven't talk to in two weeks, but if you text me out of know where five years later, we have an issue. Don't try to insert yourself into my life as if you've never left.
3. Babe, send me a picture.
Two things wrong here. 1. You called me babe...bitch I don't know you!! 2. OH HELL NAH! One way to automatically get rejected in my book is ask me that question. Plus, adding "I want to see your beautiful face" is just adding s**t to the toilet...
2. What you doing [insert time of day here, optional]?
If it's followed by a "we should chill/hang out" text...you'll either get a "maybe, I'll have to see what I'm doing" or "I'd love to but I'm busy." Both obviously lies...
1. When's the next time I'm going to see you?
Combine all my answers above and that's pretty much my response...times five.
Thoughts?
@ImaGKeeper
p.s. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Treatment: Isolation and hibernation for 24 hours. Boy, it felt soooo good!
After awaking from my beautiful slumber, I wake up to two texts and a Facebook message. I've seen them plenty times before and I'm not surprised that I'm seeing them again. But dang!! If you're sending the same message every year like clock work, and I still don't respond...get the hint. Anyway, here are the five texts that I see every single winter break. Have you seen these before?
5. I've missed you! We should hang out soon!
90% of the time, I respond, "Oh yeah definitely!" and mean it. The other 10% of the time I'm like, "Oh yea definitely! [When hell freezes over -____-]." Sorry to be harsh but let's be honest: if you haven't bothered to "hang out" during the other 350 days, 8403 hours, 504207 minutes, and 302525XX seconds! of the year!!
4. Long time no talk! How've you been?
[EXPLICATIVE!!!!!] This would be an acceptable text from a best friend you haven't talk to in two weeks, but if you text me out of know where five years later, we have an issue. Don't try to insert yourself into my life as if you've never left.
3. Babe, send me a picture.
Two things wrong here. 1. You called me babe...bitch I don't know you!! 2. OH HELL NAH! One way to automatically get rejected in my book is ask me that question. Plus, adding "I want to see your beautiful face" is just adding s**t to the toilet...
2. What you doing [insert time of day here, optional]?
If it's followed by a "we should chill/hang out" text...you'll either get a "maybe, I'll have to see what I'm doing" or "I'd love to but I'm busy." Both obviously lies...
1. When's the next time I'm going to see you?
Combine all my answers above and that's pretty much my response...times five.
Thoughts?
@ImaGKeeper
p.s. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Dang, Do I Reeeeeeally Sound Like That?!
Hey guys! Long time no blog! :( I've been trying to think of interesting and creative topics to write about and every time I begin a new post, something always seems to mess things up...
Anyway, why am I writing a post at 2:30 in the morning?
First, my caffeine buzz hasn't gone away yet, but I literally had an epiphany of sorts. I sound white.
I've known it for a while, but it never really hit me til now. Why? On the plane back to Atlanta, I tried to transcribe some audio from an interview I had with a teacher for a project. I swear the guy next to me would've thought I was listening to heavy metal by the way I kept squirming or fidgeting every time I heard myself speak. It wasn't so much how I sounded, but they way I sounded.
Why is this bothering me? Yes, I have been mistaken as a white female on several occasions just by talking on the phone, I've been labeled an "OREO" (which I am not), and I have the tendency to "switch" tones and jargon (I can go from "ayyyyyyeee ni**a!" to "omg my bff Becky" in 30 seconds."
What's scary is that even my mom does it! It happens all the time, but I never really payed attention to it til now. A few days ago, she took a phone call from a co-worker after talking to my uncle visiting from Tanzania (when she talks to my uncle or any family member, her accent blossoms). After checking out the caller I.D., she answered with a "Helloooo!" like one of those British TV moms. The way she pronounced her "yes"s and even the way she laughed changed! Was it because she was talking to an American person or was it to keep a professional profile?
It doesn't bother me that I sound white on the phone or on recordings, but I feel like I (and my mom) was trying to sound white. Whether it's a conscious decision or not, one thing I can't stand is trying to be something or someone you're not.
Am I doing this to look educated, to fit into the white dominated corporate world, to be respected as much as my white peers, to separate myself from the label "ghetto"?
Just a thought.
Hit me up with your thoughts!
-Laika
@ImaGKeeper
Anyway, why am I writing a post at 2:30 in the morning?
First, my caffeine buzz hasn't gone away yet, but I literally had an epiphany of sorts. I sound white.
I've known it for a while, but it never really hit me til now. Why? On the plane back to Atlanta, I tried to transcribe some audio from an interview I had with a teacher for a project. I swear the guy next to me would've thought I was listening to heavy metal by the way I kept squirming or fidgeting every time I heard myself speak. It wasn't so much how I sounded, but they way I sounded.
Why is this bothering me? Yes, I have been mistaken as a white female on several occasions just by talking on the phone, I've been labeled an "OREO" (which I am not), and I have the tendency to "switch" tones and jargon (I can go from "ayyyyyyeee ni**a!" to "omg my bff Becky" in 30 seconds."
What's scary is that even my mom does it! It happens all the time, but I never really payed attention to it til now. A few days ago, she took a phone call from a co-worker after talking to my uncle visiting from Tanzania (when she talks to my uncle or any family member, her accent blossoms). After checking out the caller I.D., she answered with a "Helloooo!" like one of those British TV moms. The way she pronounced her "yes"s and even the way she laughed changed! Was it because she was talking to an American person or was it to keep a professional profile?
It doesn't bother me that I sound white on the phone or on recordings, but I feel like I (and my mom) was trying to sound white. Whether it's a conscious decision or not, one thing I can't stand is trying to be something or someone you're not.
Am I doing this to look educated, to fit into the white dominated corporate world, to be respected as much as my white peers, to separate myself from the label "ghetto"?
Just a thought.
Hit me up with your thoughts!
-Laika
@ImaGKeeper
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Happy Halloween!!
BOO! Haha! Happy Halloween folks! Since I'm on a college girl budget, I've finally decided what costume I'm going to embody all day tomorrow! It's perfect!
Drum Roll please......
AWKWARD BLACK GIRL!
Yeah, I know. I'm a genius! Well, ok I'm not exactly going to dress up like J (The Awkward Black girl Character) but instead, i'm going to be myself.
For those who haven't seen the web show, it's essentially about J figuring out her life. Her job sucks, her bf just broke up with her, she slept with a disgusting nerdy co-worker, and by the grace of God, a beautiful black man begins working at her job. I don't want to give away the WHOLE plot but I swear Issa Rae has been following me...
See...
1. There's a beautiful black man who gives mixed signals: If there's anything more frustrating than trying to figure out if a guy likes you or not, let me know. Let's be honest, I'm not a gorgeous, long hair thick red-bone, nor do I date often, but I'm not going to sit around and wait for someone who doesn't like me back. Or if you do like me back, you have a terrible way of showing it. [I have a strange feeling I'm going to get a couple texts and Facebook messages from dudes asking if it's them...]
2. The random white guy that pleasantly surprises you: Yeah, I have one of those too...kinda. It's complicated. Point being: I'm stepping outside my box! And if this weekend had taught me anything, it's that there are white guys out there that like black girls! There's hope for me yet :)
3. That one friend who you can tell anything: In my case, this one friend turns out to be a guy. Been there with me through a lot and even though we're hundreds of miles apart, he's the only one I can call and know he'll answer, if not call me back within the hour. And we both have "signature" awkward walks [you know who you are =) ]
4. That one b**ch you work with who does the MOST: I have two of these. Both of them WON'T. SHUT. UP!!! GAH!! My biggest pet peeve is a know-it-all...One in my media studies class and I think I've clearly made it known (mainly to those sitting around me) that I can't stand her...then there's this guy who I see EVERYWHERE!!! He's in my Intro Film class, I see him going to my media studies class, and what set me off the edge is that I saw him at a Journalism event (turns out he's in the J-program) >___< I nearly lost it.
5. The "mistake" after the breakup: Phew! I think I've skipped that phase by making myself follow one rule: never kiss a guy you don't REALLY like. Although it's prompted a lot of awkward "bobbing and weaving" motions, it's worked out so far. It's a great little personal accomplishment.
6. F**K Being Dependent, Do You: WOOT! Cheers! I think the biggest lesson I've taken away from Awkward Black Girl is that it's not the end of the world. A break-up is the end of a chapter, not the closing of a book. It's hard moving on, but I'll live. On those hard days when I just want to release some frustration, I write (and for good reason, those posts are never published). The best way to show up an ex is to be happy and successful.
Ok I'm done. I really should be studying, but a post won't hurt :)
Hit me up!
Twitter:
@ImaGKeeper
Drum Roll please......
AWKWARD BLACK GIRL!
Yeah, I know. I'm a genius! Well, ok I'm not exactly going to dress up like J (The Awkward Black girl Character) but instead, i'm going to be myself.
For those who haven't seen the web show, it's essentially about J figuring out her life. Her job sucks, her bf just broke up with her, she slept with a disgusting nerdy co-worker, and by the grace of God, a beautiful black man begins working at her job. I don't want to give away the WHOLE plot but I swear Issa Rae has been following me...
See...
1. There's a beautiful black man who gives mixed signals: If there's anything more frustrating than trying to figure out if a guy likes you or not, let me know. Let's be honest, I'm not a gorgeous, long hair thick red-bone, nor do I date often, but I'm not going to sit around and wait for someone who doesn't like me back. Or if you do like me back, you have a terrible way of showing it. [I have a strange feeling I'm going to get a couple texts and Facebook messages from dudes asking if it's them...]
2. The random white guy that pleasantly surprises you: Yeah, I have one of those too...kinda. It's complicated. Point being: I'm stepping outside my box! And if this weekend had taught me anything, it's that there are white guys out there that like black girls! There's hope for me yet :)
3. That one friend who you can tell anything: In my case, this one friend turns out to be a guy. Been there with me through a lot and even though we're hundreds of miles apart, he's the only one I can call and know he'll answer, if not call me back within the hour. And we both have "signature" awkward walks [you know who you are =) ]
4. That one b**ch you work with who does the MOST: I have two of these. Both of them WON'T. SHUT. UP!!! GAH!! My biggest pet peeve is a know-it-all...One in my media studies class and I think I've clearly made it known (mainly to those sitting around me) that I can't stand her...then there's this guy who I see EVERYWHERE!!! He's in my Intro Film class, I see him going to my media studies class, and what set me off the edge is that I saw him at a Journalism event (turns out he's in the J-program) >___< I nearly lost it.
5. The "mistake" after the breakup: Phew! I think I've skipped that phase by making myself follow one rule: never kiss a guy you don't REALLY like. Although it's prompted a lot of awkward "bobbing and weaving" motions, it's worked out so far. It's a great little personal accomplishment.
6. F**K Being Dependent, Do You: WOOT! Cheers! I think the biggest lesson I've taken away from Awkward Black Girl is that it's not the end of the world. A break-up is the end of a chapter, not the closing of a book. It's hard moving on, but I'll live. On those hard days when I just want to release some frustration, I write (and for good reason, those posts are never published). The best way to show up an ex is to be happy and successful.
Ok I'm done. I really should be studying, but a post won't hurt :)
Hit me up!
Twitter:
@ImaGKeeper
Sunday, October 16, 2011
On the Record, Let's Me Just Say...
UGH!!
I couldn't find anything besides those three letters to sum up most of my feelings at the moment.
See, it all started in this perfect world of mine. I was going to declare my major, take classes and pass all of them with ease, land amazing scholarships where my bosses praise me and my work, I graduate, land a perfect job, meet the perfect man, have perfect sex, make perfect babies, and have the neatest wrinkles for an old person.
Somewhere in my world, actual people came about...
Whomp.
Just when you've think you've got it made [I went in to get my paper edited by a teacher and came out a declared Journalism major and an internship opportunity basically wherever I wanna go]! Perfect right? Well yea, but it doesn't always feel that way.
I've been busting my ass for the past few months trying to get our black magazine on campus running at full speed. I mean, I want it to run almost "Emory Wheel" style; churning out magazine after magazine, getting hundreds of hits a day online, and being known on campus.
But of course, in this perfect world of mine, in came the humans.
Here are people with titles: Editor-in-Chief, Web Editor, Editorial Editor...
I feel like I've done the work of all three (not by my self of course). When I reach out to people for support, I get the "eh, maybe I'll write something."
See, in this perfect world of mine, I envision my photographers doing their job, the magazine layout to be spot on, our Website to be up and fully functional, we'll have both our radio show and TV segment running, and life will be swell...
So why does everything in my perfect little world have to be messed up by the most incredibly selfish creatures that walk this Earth.
Why can't anything work the way I want them too?
*Kanye shrug*
@ImaGKeeper
I couldn't find anything besides those three letters to sum up most of my feelings at the moment.
See, it all started in this perfect world of mine. I was going to declare my major, take classes and pass all of them with ease, land amazing scholarships where my bosses praise me and my work, I graduate, land a perfect job, meet the perfect man, have perfect sex, make perfect babies, and have the neatest wrinkles for an old person.
Somewhere in my world, actual people came about...
Whomp.
Just when you've think you've got it made [I went in to get my paper edited by a teacher and came out a declared Journalism major and an internship opportunity basically wherever I wanna go]! Perfect right? Well yea, but it doesn't always feel that way.
I've been busting my ass for the past few months trying to get our black magazine on campus running at full speed. I mean, I want it to run almost "Emory Wheel" style; churning out magazine after magazine, getting hundreds of hits a day online, and being known on campus.
But of course, in this perfect world of mine, in came the humans.
Here are people with titles: Editor-in-Chief, Web Editor, Editorial Editor...
I feel like I've done the work of all three (not by my self of course). When I reach out to people for support, I get the "eh, maybe I'll write something."
See, in this perfect world of mine, I envision my photographers doing their job, the magazine layout to be spot on, our Website to be up and fully functional, we'll have both our radio show and TV segment running, and life will be swell...
So why does everything in my perfect little world have to be messed up by the most incredibly selfish creatures that walk this Earth.
Why can't anything work the way I want them too?
*Kanye shrug*
@ImaGKeeper
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