What is it Like To Be a Minority?

Student Lounge African-American Students
81

<p>We all have our preferences. I just prefer black girls. I don’t know why, but thats how I was raised and I can’t see myself straying away from that. But I had that black person problem even though my school was 60% black. The valedictorian at my school is hispanic. I must say he works really hard, but on the flip side, isn’t very involved. The acting “white” thing gets on my nerves, but what can I say. I speak slang when I talk to my friends, but its still semi-proper so its like “slangish”(corney, I know lol). What would my teachers think of me if I spoke slang in the classroom? They would think I’m that typical black male. I don’t give them a chance to think that.</p>

<p>What is surprising is that I live in a semi-affluent suburb. The poorer sections are filled with minorities and stuff. Its weird because the minorities that are struggling to live in the neighborhood I live in; their children still do poorly in school. So the question I always ask myself is:</p>

<p>Why are their parents spending so much money to live in a town that has good resources when their children aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity given to them. I think some blacks value other things. Education isn’t a priority to some.</p>

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<p>Well, on the bright side all the guys here who aren’t in relationships make me feel so much better. I’m 16, a girl and I’ve never been kissed. To refer to a previous baseball field analogy- I’m not even in the baseball stadium. Yeah, sometimes I do get frustrated when I see a black guy with a white girl. its not like I’m trying to be racially you know but its soooo frustrating b/c I never can get a black guy to look twice at me and a lot of smart black guys pick white girls. I was joking with my mom tonight that I was so frustrated I was going to ask the tooth fairy to turn me lesbian instead of giving me money. sigh.
Its frustrating b/c a lot black boys seem to prefer lighter complexions or more sterotypically white characteristics so.
i remember i was with some black friends and my skin caught the glow of sunlight. with the suprise they exclaimed with dissapointment, " oh you’re black- i thought you were lighter."
Sigh again.
I’m blue b/c I just read a book about a black gay guy who was murdered.
Yech…</p>

83

<p>I don’t even know what to say…</p>

<p>I kind of feel bad, but heres my take on it: </p>

<p>From what I’ve seen and heard, being gay is not accepted in the black community at all.</p>

<p>I’m a black male that is a tiny bit darker than light skinned blacks. Maybe you can classify me as brown skin/slightly dark skinned. Actually Its hard to classify me. I’m not “DARK”, but not light skinned either. I will tell you that I prefer and most of my black male friends prefer light skinned black girls. Now most of my black friends don’t do well in school really. I’m not trying to bash them, but I’m being real. Their aim(Most, not all) in talking to girls is all wrong(My opinion), if you know what I mean.</p>

<p>I prefer black girls that are my complexion or lighter. That’s just me. I have nothing against really dark skinned girls. Honestly complexion comes last. I prefer a person’s personality rather than looks. I don’'t like loud, obnoxious, and fast girls. I like unique, smart, and interesting girls.</p>

<p>When I go to Michigan, I honestly don’t know what girls I will end up dating.</p>

<p>There are 3,700 Caucasians, ~800 Asians, ~400 African Americans, ~300 Hispanics, and ~600 Native American/Indian/Internationals/Unreported at Michigan. Who knows, but its not to say I won’t try.</p>

<p>Girls expect guys to come up to them, but if that isn’t the case, you should try to talk to guys, although most girls have the opposite mentality. I don’t blame them. Some girls lack confidence and so do most guys.</p>

<p>“oh you’re black- i thought you were lighter.”
Sigh again." LOL! Sorry that was just really funny, but it happens to some of my friends all the time. Sometimes even myself when they know I’m not that dark. People say that just because. I have no explanation for it.</p>

84

<p>my school is predominately black, followed by asians and spanish</p>

<p>a lot of the my friends which are mainly black spend a lot of their time trying to get with girls and not much time studying</p>

<p>i fell in that trap also my freshman year but after my older got in my head about going to college (he’s currently at Northeastern)
i finally woke up and started taking school way more serious
and being that i’m haitian, my parents hold me to extremely high standards </p>

<p>and as far as the girls go
i date them all
black,white,spanish, white etc…
i don’t discriminate</p>

85

<p>Surprisingly, I share a similar perspective with many of you. </p>

<p>I was born in Ghana (located in West Africa). I and my lived in Canada for a few years while my dad studied for his PhD before we came here to the U.S. </p>

<p>Here in the U.S., I go to a suburban high school. My school’s statistics reveal that only 10% of the students are black. Like Entertainer, I’ve sometimes felt as if people here considered me to be inferior. Not too long ago, an Asian student in my Pre-calc class complimented me on my intelligence. According to him, I’m the “smartest black guy I’ve [he’s] ever met.” Later he and his friends started talking about how much they wish they were black since “it’s easier for a black person to get into college.” </p>

<p>Usually, I don’t mind being distinguished as “smart person.” But when people intentionally point out my race when complimenting me, I just feel as if they’re trying to insinuate something. Maybe I’m paranoid about things like that but I’ve always felt uncomfortable in such situations. </p>

<p>Ignorant statements like that push me to do better in school so I can freely say that I got into a top school on the basis of merit. In the future, I’d be annoyed if people said that I got into a good school just because of my race.</p>

<p>Either way, I’m glad that I found this thread. Sorry for reviving it if doing that annoyed anyone :(</p>

86

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<p>I, too, feel that this is often the case. However, the nonsense doesn’t stop once you get into college, though you will encounter it far less often: at a prefrosh weekend I attended, I met an otherwise brilliant and funny individual whose first commentary upon my race was that “affirmative action is a wonderful thing after all, else you wouldn’t be here.” </p>

<p>And the sad thing is that I whupped his sorry posterior in both the AP and SAT exams, which I discovered upon further discussion of our more objective credentials.</p>

87

<p>Ugh, I hoped that it would end in college. :(</p>

<p>Right now I’m aiming to get into MIT</p>

88

<p>You seem like a rather motivated and eloquent individual. I have very high hopes for you.</p>

<p>And if MIT doesn’t work out, I’m sure you’ll end up going to an equally fine institution. There are myopic jerks everywhere, even in the highest echelons of post-secondary education. Be ready to deal with them, no matter where you go.</p>

<p>However, you can pick and choose your friends. Choose wisely, and you’ll avoid much of the knee-jerk discrimination some of my future peers have already exhibited.</p>

89

<p>People at my school always laugh and say “you’re so stereotypical”
I’m a gregarious person, but I’m a hard worker. I can’t help that my career path requires me to talk to people. I like talking to everyone and commenting on everything (I’m bold enough to admit it). But PR is all about socializing. I could care less about what the kids at my school have to say b/c they’re the same ones that are trying to figure out how the heck I got into good schools. I’m strict on myself about work, but I know how to have GOOD CLEAN fun every single day of my life. They need drugs and alcohol. I just need people around and good conversation. So if being social and “the class clown” from time to time is stereotypical and I’m going to Princeton, then I really don’t care b/c I could be pregnant, dead, or a dropout at this point in my life, but I’m not. </p>

<p>PS I love being black. “It don’t crack” lol.</p>

90

<p>^ hahahaha that’s what i always tell my black/african friends while i’m joking around w/ them “black don’t crack” because when you get older you’re not going to get too wrinkle-y like say, people of cauasian decent, haha. And I also have NEVER done drugs or alcohol in my life (i don’t even know what they smell/taste like). I just have fun with my friends the safe/clean/normal way without engaging in any kind of bad stuff…lol.</p>

<p><em>Sighs</em> I’ve always been a minority my entire life. I used to live in an arab country(lots of racists there …just sayin’) then moved here to the states my freshman year(predominately white HS)…but apparently a lot of black people wouldn’t consider/classify me as “black” though…apart from the fact that I’m light-skinned…(i’m somali & 25% yemeni (arab)) …so most people assumed that i’m mixed ( black & white or Indian or half arab or habesha (ethiopian/eritrean)(which i get 90% of the time lol). etc. etc. etc… it can get a bit annoying at times…but i don’t have too much trouble fitting in though. Regardless I consider myself as black & I’m proud of being one :)</p>

<p>I think I’m probably going to definitely get married to someone that’s of African descent…or someone that’s middle eastern hahaha. :P</p>