To past, present and future cultures and communities
Friends
My friends are the nicest people I have
but why are they so different?
They talk, eat, sleep, and breathe the same
however, they are still so different.
Am I the one that is different?
Am I the one that stands out?
Do I not act like my friends?
How am I supposed to act, what am I supposed to say
Should I have the same beliefs, same culture?
Should I let my friends define me?
I am confused
I never thought it would be this hard to figure out who you are.
Belief # 1 Always follow the crowd! Your friends are
always right and they will never abandon you. If they are wrong, you are wrong and you need to find new friends.
What Music?
“Dan, do you know the words to this song?”
“No, I have never heard it before.”
“Really"? This rapper is so good you got to-“
“I have never heard of the rapper before.”
“Are you kidding me? Everyone has heard of this rapper!”
“Well not me!”
“This is really weird Dan”
“How so?”
“You are the only black guy I know that has not heard of this rapper”
“Does that really matter?”
“Dan, you are different”
Who are you?
7 boxes confusion
5 FUBU shirts
5 Abercrombie pants
2 country cds
2 rap cds
1 game basketball
1 game baseball
1 white blanket
1 black blanket
Sprinkle uncertainty, confusion, fear, misunderstanding, over top. Do not stir but let it sit until it is ready to take form.
Getting Ready
Before a long day of school, I am preparing for an extensive tough day. I am exhausted and my mind still feels asleep. I have one eye opened and I am tiptoeing to the bathroom to take a long shower and brush my teeth. After I use deodorant and lotion, I must decide on what to wear. Should I wear the FUBU shirt or the Abercrombie pants? Maybe I can where both but probably not because someone will notice. Those worlds cannot collide and will never collide. I continue preparing for school confused on what to wear.
Belief # 2 – You are as what other people think of you as.
Your opinion of yourself does not matter. Let others define you.
Self-confidence is not paramount to success but appearance is.
Race
He approaches the track with great confidence and assurance. A few last minute stretches are essential to his success. Double-checking the shoestrings and making sure his jersey is in the right place it appears Eric is finally ready to race. He walks to the starting line with loads of nerves that are cooled over by crazy excitement. Eric places his feet in the starting blocks hoping to get a great position for his start. He is placed in lane 4, a prototypical fast lane to be. Eric rises up to form and awaits the gun. On you mark! Get set! Go! Eric takes off at a blistering pace. Eric explodes to the front faster than all his competitors do. Fifty meters into this, hundred-meter dash Eric is calm, cool, and collected. Eric does not think he will be passed and lose. With twenty-five meters left, it appears Eric’s theory is right. At that moment, a strong, swift individual approaches Eric’s scorching pace. He catches Eric with only a few meters left. Eric realizing someone has finally caught him takes a quick glance out the corner of his eye. Suddenly, Eric’s moral lowers. He begins to have negative thoughts and wonders what could of happen. Eric wanted to win the race but now he believes he has no chance. Eric’s pace decreases rapidly as he finishes the race in second. This startling finish baffled the crowd. Eric seemed angry with himself that he let race fall out of his hands. The result saw Eric losing the race to a black man.
Friend to Friend
My friend told me after school one day to act
more like I am black. Immediately, I was angry
and furious. The thoughts running through my
head were screw you asshole. How does one act
black I questioned. Does he have to talk a certain
way or listen to a certain type of music? What would
that jerk say if I told him to act whiter. Would he
be angry. I wonder if all my friend sees is my skin color. I
wonder if anyone sees past my skin color at all.
Belief # 3- The whole world hates you. No one can accept
who you really are. It is better to be selfish because it leads to
more success and unselfishness only benefits others.
Realization/ Destruction
When I got home from school yesterday I
determined that I am different. I solved all the confusion
I had by concluding that I need to be selfish and sometimes unselfish. I can be conceited and yet magnanimous. Anger may lead to succession but rage may lead to defeat. I care how others think about me but I am obsessed with myself.
Maybe I am still confused but anger may be the solution.
Job Opportunity
Older men ages 45- 50
With experience in business
Dealing. Must have
Magnificent communication
skills. Married white fathers
preferred. Must be able to
communicate well and come to
work with a daily-expected appearance.
No afros, cornrows, dew rags allowed.
Moreover, no baggy clothes, throwback
Jerseys or headbands. In addition,
No saying ain’t. No other physical
Activity allowed (including basketball, football,
And track). Only college educated men need
To apply. 945-6789 for interview
Belief # 4- Respect is something to be earned and you will never earn it. First impressions are always negative. No one understands.
Minority Students
This university is trying to lead
A more diverse community. Apply
No matter the resume. Lower standards
For still a great education. Non-minorities
must seek different application. Offering
Student loans, grants, to all minority students.
Can earn a free education if you
are a minority student. Special events
Throughout the year, that raises awareness.
Only blacks, Latinos, Asians, and other
Colored people considered.
Why?
Ron: Why were you not at that party last night?
Matt: What party?
Ron: Black movement party, it was last night 7-9.
Matt: Oh, I was hanging out with some of my friends.
Ron: You mean your white friends.
Matt: No my best friends from high school.
Ron: You would rather hang out with white kids than us.
Matt: I really do not see a difference you both are my best friends.
Ron: I would never become friends with a white person; they discriminate, and are prejudice
Matt: I do not know why you consider my friends prejudice when do not even know them.
Ron: Man fuck you! Just go join them
Stereotype- Jump High
Run Fast
Ain’t
Brush
Hair oil
Afro
Dreadlocks
Short Hair
Dumb
Awkward
Mix and stir well should come out black almost burnt.
Girls that you cannot like
Friend: Did you see how that one girl looked?
Colin: Which one?
Friend: The one that looked amazingly hot
Colin: Oh yea she was hot!
Friend: Yea but I saw her first and I am the only one that can be attracted to her.
Colin: Ha-ha well why is that.
Friend: Well she has blonde hair and white.
Colin: So?
Friend: And you are black.
Opposites?
I am black and you are white
I am wrong and you are always right
I am limited to what I can do
You are free to whatever you pursue
I must talk a certain way
You have no problem with what you say
I am dumb and you are smart
You are ahead of me by a lot
I am judged based on my looks
You are judged based on your looks
Belief # 5 – Trying to be you is the hardest thing to do.
Everyone has his or her own agenda. Everything is depressing
in life. Stress and disappointment control living.
Dear Father,
Maybe you were right. Maybe you
Were right about everything. I
Attend class each day and come
Home to my dorm. I have made
Many friends in and out of class.
I am still wondering however if they
Consider me their friend. My teachers
Are difficult like you said. Sometimes
I get the feeling they are harder on
Me than anyone else. My friends say I am
different. They say I am not their typical
“Black friend”. I am much smarter, wiser,
And more social. I am much more like
them. I thought they wanted me to be
like them. My teachers say I am quiet. I
wonder if they say that because that was
their first impression or they just do not
know me very well. Nevertheless, father
you were right and you will always be right.
Overall Belief- You are on your own. Silent, Closed, Hidden