Tag: White America

Pronounce this African Girl’s Name Right

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During my junior year of high school, I had a teacher who did not pronounce my name right. She did not try to learn or pronounce my name correctly for the entire school year. Yes, I am being serious, if you do not believe me. At first, I pitied her because she gave up trying to pronounce my name, but later on when I realized that she stopped calling me and would just point at me, I was fed up.  When my friends first realized this, they laughed, but then told me that I should talk to her about it. However, I did not talk to her about it, and now I regret it because I don’t want another student who has a unique name to have a teacher who does not learn and pronounce their name correctly. It is disrespectful.

What annoys me the most, are those types of teachers and people in general who try and give me nicknames because they cannot pronounce my name. No, I will not allow you to disregard the name that my parents and relatives gave me, the name that has meaning to it. People’s ignorance bothers me. Is it so hard for you to just learn someone’s name? Rather than giving me a nickname, I have a better suggestion: learn how to pronounce my name. I don’t care how long it takes you, as long as you are learning how to pronounce it. Use a flashcard, a whiteboard, or whatever, just learn my name. If it helps, why don’t you study my name everyday?

You’re probably asking, what about those people who want to be called by a different name? Well, that is their preference, because they are either so tired of people pronouncing their name wrong or they just want to be called something different. To be honest, it is easier to ask someone to teach you how to pronounce their name, then to disregard their name completely. Please, in the name of God, pronounce my name right.

White America and Color Blindness

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When I think of the term color blindness, I think of colors like purple, red, and green. I remember when someone told me that they were color blind. I was confused, and I thought to myself, what colors can’t they see? I immediately panicked, thinking, oh my gosh, does it mean that they can’t see that I’m black? Please don’t laugh at my stupidity. But the odd thing is that after they told me that they were color blind, months later, I started hearing people on TV and on certain videos, saying that they are color blind. Now let me clarify what those people meant when they said that they were ‘color blind’: they cannot see race. You’re probably thinking, um okay… Well let me tell you what I’m thinking: what kind of nonsense and rubbish be this? (In my African accent). How the hell can you not see race? Are you blinded by white America, that you can no longer see color? You can no longer see my dark skin? Oh please.  

These people are uncomfortable about race and they have made themselves believe that avoiding the topic of race and saying that they are color blind only helps us black people. No, actually it does not. It makes us uncomfortable, for the simple fact that you want to ignore my blackness; you want to believe that there is no color in this world, there is only whiteness. Stop. Look at my skin color, and acknowledge it. Don’t look at my skin color and give me that bull crap, “I don’t see race, sorry, I’m color blind.” No, my friend, you are not colorblind, you’re just ignorant and afraid. Just admit the fact that white America has blinded you with its whiteness.
Moreover, for my black people, who choose to let these ‘color blind’ people humiliate and insult you, just please open your eyes, shine your eyes (again in my African accent). Don’t let these people ignore your blackness. Be proud of your blackness and speak up. The next time you see one of these ‘color blind’ people, and they tell you, “I don’t see race, sorry, I’m color blind,” you better tell them this: “You are not color blind. You have what is known as white blindness. You’re blinded by white America. Go to the hospital and get that checked out, my friend.”