<p>@BlackRose- A likely letter is basically a “we like you, you’re gonna get in later on, just keep up the good work” type letter. It’s not a formal acceptance, but it implies one in the future.</p>
<p>@Shelo- Yeah I was called an Oreo. Well not because of my work ethic, but because I don’t “sound/act black.” But I mean, I’m happy NOT to be stereotypical of anything. I just like to break the mold to show that it CAN be done. The whole Oreo thing doesn’t really bother me. I just laugh at it because being too sensitive won’t get you too far. But it’s still good to have sensitivity of course.</p>
<p>@Shelo, may I ask in what sort of environment do you live in? </p>
<p>Believe it or not, but many black youth are very ignorant in this regard, and being successful is associated with whiteness. I’ve met many a successful black youth over the past few years, and this seems to be a common struggle held among us all. Believe it or not, but success is associated with whiteness. “Whiteness” is associated with many things, like getting good grades, speaking “proper” English, intellectual pursuits, etc. And many black youth see this as selling out. I’ve even heard that come from Asian, Hispanics, and even whites. </p>
<p>And that’s the challenge. It is easy to acknowledge your race and love it, but it is human nature to associate with people whom you identify with. If those you identify with deny you because your interests aren’t typical of your culture, then what’s left? </p>
<p>No, no black person has to conform to any standard because we are all individuals, but there is a set stereotype that runs rampant through the black community, one disappointingly negative one. And as a black person, and an intellectual, it is our duty to work against the stereotype and show that blacks can be intelligent, successful, etc.</p>
<p>I’ve had that “success= white” problem before. Just came to realize that those aren’t the people that you want to associate with and there will always be some like that. After all, chances are that they’re not in the same activities, shooting for the same goals, so why does their opinion matter? It shouldn’t. I mean what person with common sense thinks that “you’re dumb because you wanna finish school”?</p>
<p>After all, since ignorance is so cool. Somebody’s got represent us in a positive light.</p>
<p>Just one observation I’ve noticed is that, while other races, like Hispanics and Asians, can come to just not associate with those types, that there are other people of their same ethnicity that share the same interests, it’s much more difficult for African-Americans to do the same. There’s just not as much acceptance of difference in black youth as other ethnicities. Which I feel is a major problem in the black community.</p>
<p>My D unkwowingly picked “Oreo” as her camp name ( she likes Oreos!) until a white counselor pulled her aside and told her “what it meant”! She didn’t know many Black people before college.</p>
<p>I have been called an “oreo” many times but I realize that I just don’t care what people think. My school is predominantly white but there is a fair share of African Americans and I do not associate myself with them for one reason, I cannot relate to them. They don’t go to class and get good grades. I am not going to dumb myself down and hang out with people I have nothing in common with just because they are black. </p>
<p>And another thing…race does not matter to me. It does not matter to me if you are white, black, asian, indian, pink, purple, or orange. Just as long as I can relate to you and we can carry a good conversation then I do not care what race you are. If there is anything that I love about my school that would probably be it. People don’t care about your race…they care about you personality, which is something I greatly appreciate. </p>
<p>I’m so sick of hearing about race and blacks not conforming to the “white stereotype.” I am the way I am because it makes me happy. Why should I carry a chip on my shoulder because I am black. I refuse to live my life that way. Yes, I have experienced racism but I am not going to let it consume me. I want to be happy and I will be happy despite the color of my skin.</p>
<p>@HBrown, Good for you!
I have never been called an “oreo”, but one AA girl once called me a white guy with out knowing my race. Or may be she did knowingly.
My teacher told her that I was black East African, and I just looked at her, then the entire class laughed.</p>
<p>I don’t know … I’ve been successful in the academic spectrum and for my whole grade school record, I’ve been surrounded by people who look exactly like me. Because I may have exceeded a few of my classmates, or perhaps, surpassed them by taking higher level classes, I haven’t received a lot of slack about being an oreo. As a matter of fact, no one has ever referred to me as an oreo. I “speak and act” like everyone else; I’m not sure if the way I carry myself is considered “Black.” But that’s all I know and I’m just being me. My public high school is made up of low-income minorities coming from moderately-harsh to extremely harsh neighborhoods that shows the “Black culture.” As I moved up to taking more challenging classes, people were beginning to look less and less like me, however. The small amount of Asians and Whites my school has have dominated the AP curriculum and ironically, their levels of income and the ways they act are very different from the majority of the kids at my school, me included. Therefore, I’ve become really really good friends with students from a variety of socio-economic and racial groups. But because I spend the majority of my time in school with Whites and Asians, my demeanor hasn’t changed much, in regards to the way I act in a social setting. And both sides of the spectrum accept the way I carry myself. </p>
<p>I don’t carry myself any differently from when I’m in class than when I’m walking around with my neighborhood friends. I’ve never been called an oreo or the ghetto black guy. I’m just me. And everyone in this thread should just be themselves; act the way your parents have brought you up to act. Don’t feel the need to change who you are when you’re in certain situations around certain people. “Oreo” or not, just be you =D</p>
<p>Hey check out this video. I felt that it was appropriate for this particular discussion. This guy’s name is Daniel Beatty and he’s a poet that frequently appears on Def Poetry. I haven’t had the opportunity to see him live in Manhattan but I can definitely connect to him; I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS THREAD CAN CONNECT TO THIS VIDEO! He’s just amazing.</p>
<p>^^^ oh wow lol i came across that video about a few months ago and loved it! it was just so substantive i really felt what he was trying to say, i really like how well beaty does both characters… :)</p>
<p>I have definitely heard some hateful comments thrown at me, eg. “You’re not black enough,” or “X is blacker than you!” (X refering to a caucasian male in our class). I first was a bit offended, as it seemed that many people found my skin color and my behaviour “incompatible”. I also listened to a wide range of music, and didn’t limit myself to the stereotypical “grime” music of AA’s, which further reinstated my “oreo-ness”.</p>
<p>However, this only started AFTER I left the US for the United Arab Emirates. Here, people had already come the conclusion that “real black people” should fall into the category that you see in T.V. and movies, e.g. pimp my ride, stomp the yard. The kids didn’t know of african americans who “sounded white” or “dressed white”. </p>
<p>I’ve come to ignore it. What’s thrown at me is thrown at me. Here, we’re all successful, great students who have come from a huge variety of backgrounds, all hoping for the same goal of exceeding our academic/social potential. That’s all that matters :D</p>
<p>yeah that was an awesome video! it was so good that I had to show my mom and brother! this guy is good. but it made we think and just realize that I am the only black girl in all of my honors and ap classes. i thought about this also since someone in this forum said something about the same thing so they don’t really associate with the other black people at their school cause they are not in their classes. or the fact that since you make the majority of ur friends that are in ur classes. i never really realized it till now. (hope that made sense )</p>
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