I have had many experiences where White Americans have felt comfortable enough to ask questions openly that they were afraid to ask anyone else. I use them as teaching moments, never afraid to share honestly. I have never had anyone that was unappreciative for me not jumping down their throats and being offended for asking simple questions about Black life, Black hair, Black plights. Likewise, I never forget that I am being compared to stereotypes conjured up by racists suits and writers who have great disdain for Black culture and Black people. We need to assimilate, that’s all.

When White Americans ask, Why do Black do …?” I respond by asking them do they drop their culture and assimilate to any other culture? Are you told how your hair should look? Are you told you should speak a certain language? Are you told to forsake everything about you in order to live in certain neighbors of “privilege”, get a paycheck, go to college, get a job? The answer is always no. Then I tell them that Black can’t people can’t have anything, do anything, be anything, live any place, or breathe without offending White America. We always need to change, comply, follow rules of engagement or assimilate to play in your world. No one comes to America and wants to be Black/African American I don’t care how bad things were in their homeland, because that’s seen as the worst thing you could come to this nation and be.

At least you’re not Black…

The struggle is real, the oppression is real, and the hate is real. Thank you for thoughtfully highlighting the need of more White voices to speak on truth to reality regarding the devastating impact of centuries of institutional racism and privilege. The sins of the fore fathers, smh. I digress