Labels

I’ve known I was black as far as I can remember

That may not be a good marker though,

since I can’t really remember stuff before age 5

 

I can tell you though that my younger sister

For the longest time

Thought our light-skin grandmother (mother’s side)

was white

 

I can also tell you

That I’ve never had any negative feelings toward another race,

or people of a different economic status for that matter

 

Now whether people have felt that way about me

I couldn’t tell you

But, I do know it wasn’t until middle school

that I started knowing labels given to black people

 

What “we” were supposed to act like

We were supposed to be loud, not able to listen,

and disrespectful

 

We were supposed to be ghetto,

Good at sports (basketball in particular),

Not very intelligent,

and criminals

 

Now I don’t want you thinking it’s all other races who say this

We say it about ourselves, to each other

how crazy is that

 

Intelligence, that’s another thing we’re reported not to have

Well, I for one think I share the belief with others of my race

That we are just as intelligent as any other,

and given the chance can be just as successful

 

Now, you might think me meeting former President George W. Bush Jr.

Might have given me a first glance at feeling “different”,

realizing we aren’t all the “same”, but no

 

I was probably too young at that time to notice,

My revelation, or experiencing “otherness”

Came from a program designed to help make me successful, People to People

designed to help future leaders

 

Although in 8^th grade and obviously knowing differences between white

And black or any other race I had never really…

felt out of place until that weeklong event in D.C

 

If you look at the picture we took you’ll know why

4 black kids out of the 200+ amount of students

Kind of discouraging, wouldn’t ya say

but, being the person I am I had fun regardless of course

 

I guess that you know no matter what label you’re put under

black, White

Rich, poor

Whether you come from a culture of dancers, or Doctors

rappers, or Writers

You are who you want to be

And can still represent yourself

Not always tied down to your

Racial, economic, and cultural

identity