[Westenders]

What is interesting to me is the commonality that we all share in how we sometimes feel in these similar situations.
Helps us understand each other a little more.

[addena]

What an excellent article. I can identify. Being a Canadian there was many times I was "the only Black person in the room".
I saved this article to read again ... and send it to my daughter and niece.

[rootswoman]

Excellent article and thread -

There are not many black people in Oregon so Dread experiences this on a daily basis.

Before moving to Oregon I was living with Dread in South Central LA. I was the only white person in the area. Most white people were afraid to venture into that neighborhood. I did not go on walks there, it never felt all that safe. People just left me alone for the most part, but I was very careful.

I would drive to my sisters place in Marina Del Ray where I could walk for miles and feel perfectly safe. Dread didn't have the same feeling I did in the Marina. He had good reason. I would crawl around on the edges of peoples' yards taking pictures of flowers and think nothing of it.

I took Dread to my favorite Dahlia garden one day and some man came out of one of the huge houses on the walkway and started yelling at Dread to take his camera and leave. I told him we lived across the street (as I still had a room at my sisters) but that didn't matter. He came out and started video taping us - it was really insane - all we were doing was taking pictures of flowers!

I usually didn't feel racism in the hood - especially when I was alone. On occasion, I would pick up some angry stares by black woman when I was with Dread, but, I can guarantee he piked up a lot more stares when he was with me on the west side of town.

[Schuttzie]

That is terrible behavior, RW, on their part. It is really sad that this is still an issue.

[goldilocks]

I think I've become immune to the feeling over time. Sometimes I acknowledge it to myself and file it away in the back of my mind.

My babies' father and I used to get intense stares mostly from ole white broads in the supermarket. I used to say hello to them and proudly show off my pretty baby girl (African, Cape Verdean, English and Swedish descent) - which sent them scurrying off quickly. LOL. I often thought they were curious and jealous, but probably they were just so indoctrinated with fear of difference that they just couldn't deal with it.

I've witnessed crazy discrimination in the African American community, even between family members, regarding complexion, good hair/bad hair. Brutal.

I feel totally at ease and accepted in a crowd of Rastas at concerts and shows. Sometimes the only white person for miles, children have come up to touch my hair or skin.

I raised my children in public housing in a Black community that slowly integrated Puerto Rican culture into the mix. Our block parties were the bomb! I think exposure to different cultures over time eventually causes folks to realize we all are one.

[JonTom]

This is only partially related, but when I saw this in Gleaner Tuesday Talk yesterday I was shocked.
Entirely possible I misunderstood the meaning, but if it means what I thought; wow.



"Some are even looking to Europe these days to see whether they can find partners. Some say that's not a bad thing. It may mean more genuine brownings."


http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140916/social/social2.html

[ohliz]

I need to dig up my old elementary school class photos for this thread

[macyoder]

"I've witnessed crazy discrimination in the African American community, even between family members, regarding complexion, good hair/bad hair. Brutal."

Colorism - never been taught to see the beauty in yourself because of being darker. Growing up I was always been told I was pretty BUT dark. Most of my negative experiences dating outside my race came form blacks not whites. Thirty years ago, it was usual for the female to be black , still most couples I know its the other way around. Being a black woman it's the assumption I am a prostitute or a whore. While in Jamaica I have had my fair share of offers.

[Sundowner]

Can't say I've ever really felt outright racism in Jamaica, and I have been the only white person in several instances over the years. Once on a trip to the interior with my now husband (Jamaican), we had to stop in Bog Walk because of the early morning fog - we were on a bike & it wasn't safe to drive. We went into a local bar to wait it out. At first, he said it might not be a good idea for me to go in, because they weren't used to women in that bar, much less white women. But I insisted (I was thirsty!). I did get the "walking into a western saloon" feeling, but in no time people (all men) were welcoming and interested in what we were doing in town, where I was from, etc. On the same trip, we were in Linstead, and I needed some pain meds so was dropped off at the local pharmacy. The pharmacist was very welcoming, even offered me a glass of water and a chair on the porch. I was obviously the only white person in town (or at least on main street), and got a good many looks and a few kids came up to touch me. Gotta love kids - they're curious and dammit, they're gonna check you out!

The one time I did feel blatant racism, though, was in St. Kitts. My friend and I were island hopping back in 93 and spent 6 weeks there. We met a few locals and one night they asked if we would like to go to a dance up on Monkey Hill. I could tell as soon as we arrived at the dance hall that we were the only white people there, but didn't think much of it at first. My friend was inside dancing with one of the guys who took us up there, and I was sitting on the veranda, getting some air. A group of 4 men came up to me and asked me what the hell I was doing there and didn't I know it was a local dance and white trash were not welcome? I thought they were joking at first and kind of laughed it off, but they continued to call me dirty white trash and asking me who brought me there and then one guy went to his car and got a machete. that's when I went into the hall and found my friend and said I think we need to leave... now! She didn't believe me, and said I was over-reacting. So I went back outside and they were still harassing me, right up in my face, and now with the machete waving around. We were lucky, though - a local guy was watching from the sidelines and came over and said he was heading back down to town and would give us a ride if we wanted to leave. Needless to say, I grabbed my friend and took him up on the offer. We were harassed and called names as we drove away, and our "knight in shining armor" told us on the way to town that Monkey Hill was a very racist area and that the guys who invited us knew that, so they were basically setting us up. It was not a good experience and a real eye opener as to how racism feels.

[suzengrace]

Winni-I totally agree with your post....It is very humbling to experience racisim (in some form)as others have .

I would hope with all the immigration and mixing of races and cultures that soon this will be a thing of the past...

And dont get me started about religions and they're differences.....we all know thru-out history and of course up to this day what the difference in religions has caused....That is a whole other thread...