Support is one of the most overlooked needs in humanity. So much so, any person can crumble into pieces without it. Granted, it is not air or water, but it is just as important. Support from family and friends is great; however, the black community lacks support amongst each other. There is an arising epidemic of rating each other to determine if one should be accepted or not. This is not only ludicrous, but it is proved to be turmoil to many in the long run.
Luckily, some gain tough skin and prosper from the disadvantage of being considered an outsider. Take Brittani Kaigler, a fashion design major here at Mesa College for example. In an interview on March 22, Kaigler shared shocking, yet probable situations she has experienced.
“Definitely the struggle of my youth, I wasn’t very accepted, not fully accepted from the black community.” She went on, “I remember one time it was raining and all the girls started running for cover so their hair wouldn’t get wet, and one of the girls was like ‘no Brittani you stay in the rain because that’s the only time your hair looks nice when it’s wet.’ And I never forgot that.”
Something that seemed harmless, resonates with the 26 year old college student today. Although Brittani’s tough skin prospered and refused to live her life in a shadow, not many others feel the same.
Majority of African Americans go through the same stereotypes or uncomfortable positions. Numerous students here at Mesa College experience a time where they may be the only one of their kind in a classroom. It may not necessarily be a bad thing, however there’s an uneasy vibe in the atmosphere in most cases.
“In a lot of my classes, even just my major, I’m one of the only black girls. So of course I notice it,” says Kaigler, “I sit in the front of the class to let people know that I’m here, and I take this serious. I feel like there’s more for me to prove”.
As individuals strive to break down barriers and enhance the entire community forward, support is drastically needed. The technicalities of skin tones within the black community is beyond irrelevant. Kaigler is mixed with African American and Salvadoran, but she doesn’t get any special treatment because of her mixed race.
“When a white person looks at me, I feel like when I walk in a room, they see a black girl,” says Kaigler. Plenty of driven individuals are sticking their necks out in the face of a 500 year old beast of inequality. The community must support them to provoke change.
Rating someone can be intentional or subconscious. Either way, it hurts the same. It’s one thing not being accepted by the outside world, it’s a whole other thing to not be accepted into something you were biologically birthed into.
In the words of Kaigler, “I want to live in a world where we all can be acceptant of each other.” At the end of the day, the black community is facing disadvantages. Providing a lack of support only halts the overall progression. Support each other. Love each other. Grow together.
