I Dream a Black World (Pt. 1: Why I Dream)

In the US, white racism has rendered American culture and its values tacitly racist.  American ideals are determined by what is culturally white and/or preferable to whites. 

Many examples come quickly to mind, but here is a subtle one.  At new faculty orientation, a retention specialist spoke about available resources on campus.  He noted that we should be especially attentive to students of color because they have lower retention rates than whites.  He then noted several differences between white and nonwhite students: nonwhites are more likely to be first generation college students; nonwhites believe "exogenous factors" beyond their control impact their progress in school, but whites believe their personal choices determine their outcomes; nonwhites are more likely to have jobs while in school; etc.  The retention specialist then said that faculty need to help the students of color with all of that.  I thought, "what's wrong with believing that factors beyond one's control impact one's progress in life?"  That's the truth!  Any sociologist can demonstrate that, although most people don't even need the demonstration.  Plus, most religious people also believe factors beyond a person's control impact his/her life.  You don't need a doctorate to know that!  So why should we go around convincing students of color of something that we know is not true?  Why not work on convincing white students of the truth?  And why is our university structured around a known lie?

So, in the case of "self-efficacy" among college students, it is obvious that the university is structured around whiteness.  The university takes note of white people's beliefs and then structures the institution accordingly.  What is "right" is whatever whites believe, need, or prefer--even when those beliefs are demonstrably false.  Conversely, "serving students of color" consists of "helping" them become like whites--even when whites are wrong. 

The pattern of attending to whites and "helping" nonwhites become white is offensive.  It is especially so when the university is set up to force students of color to do the impossible.  The university effectively ask students of color to not only "think" white (i.e. stop believing in structural/exogenous influences) but also to "live as" whites.  By "live as white," I mean living as though people of color have whites' resources.  Helping students of color with being first generation doesn't mean restructuring the university with the assumption that students are first generation.  No.  It means hoping that a student will know enough to ask the right questions to the right people and only then being prepared to give them informed answers.  Likewise, helping them with the fact that they are more likely to work doesn't mean offering more flexible class times.  No.  It means telling them where financial aid is (so they accumulate debt whites don't have) so they can have the same amount of free time as economically privileged white students and/or helping them with "time management."  Ultimately, when nonwhite students fail to become and live as whites--dropping out, slow matriculation, not having "the college experience--the university blames the student. 

I'm tired of adjusting to a white world.  I'm tired of being forced to live lies just because white people want to believe them.  I'm tired of stealing nonwhite children's youths because: 1) we cannot afford to give them the opportunities associate with youth; and 2) whites will ruin and/or take nonwhite children's lives if they do youthful things (e.g. Trayvon Martin buying Skittles and walking home; Black boys/girls being criminally charged for violating school policies).  I'm tired of paying tax dollars into institutions that serve whites but change me.  I'm tired of funding white privilege.  I'm tired of coerced/asked to participate in a community-hating and self-hating racist project. 

Unfortunately, a white racist world is the one we live in.  (How's that for evidence that forces beyond our control affect our life/college progress?!)  I don't have the resources to bring into being a fairer, non-racist world.  But I can dream--and so I do.