Written by Miranda Clark, 2014-2015 CAHS Ambassador
I have a lot built up inside and I think it’s time I get it off my chest. I feel racism will never die, as long as the pigment of our skin remains a few shades darker than white. When I think about racism I instantly become furious and it sparks a rumbling rage in me that makes me want to make a change and prove all of those who doubt African Americans ability to be successful or to get a higher education, WRONG. Growing up in the City of North St. Louis, MO, I am a living testament that black people can rise and overcome all of the false stereotypes we are labeled with. “Oh, she’ll never go to college”, “She’ll end up pregnant by the age of 16” are some of the degrading things young black girls face on a daily bases. I stand proud, with my head held high and my nose tooted in the air, to say I did it! I graduated from High school; I attend a four year University and have maintained over a 3.0 GPA, not to mention I’ll be graduating a semester early. Despite all of the minor setbacks I faced throughout my life I continued to strive and make the best for myself, with the help of God and my family.
I recently set back and began to think about today’s generation and I realized we lack the knowledge of what it means to be a strong African American. We are so quick to give up and not try. What if our ancestors gave up? Do you think there would’ve been a such thing as the “Civil Rights Act”? Many people feel as if racism ended over 60 years ago when the Civil Rights Act was enforced, but I am a firm believer that “History repeats itself”. Racism is still all around us rather we like it or not, and with many recent events in the press it has caught national attention. Michael Browns’ “Hands up, don’t shoot” has sparked a chain reaction around the world. Young black boys and girls are tired of being mistreated and defined by the color of their skin.
For those who feel they will never be a victim of racism, open your eyes and listen up! Let’s not forget about our fellow Alumni, Sandra Bland. A few days after her passing, she was supposed to start work with me. Doesn’t this make you wonder “What if?” this could have easily been one of us. She was taken from us not even a minute from Prairie View A&M’s campus. The same street she was stopped is the same street each of us, PVAMU students travels daily.
Just recently, The University of Missouri (MIZZOU) has struck national attention because their black students are sick of being mistreated. They came together to speak on the acts of racism and how it needs to come to an end. Organizations such as Black Lives Matter have risen to tear down the race barrier and to speak on “Black on Black” crimes. The issues of racism go way beyond police brutality towards blacks. It stems from blacks standing together, and not alone. We can’t speak of being mistreated by whites, when we mistreat people of our same color. “Black on Black” crimes have become outrageous and continues to increase daily. Rapper, “The Game” recently came out with an album titled “The Documentary 2”. The left side of his CD cover is blue and the right side of his CD cover is red. His CD cover represents the movement of local gangs coming together to spread awareness about “Black on Black” crimes and how they need to come to an end, so they can save lives.
One thing that I’ll never be able to understand is the use of the “N word”, by blacks. What use to be an extremely degrading word, used to address African Americans, is now used so freely. How can we be offended by people outside of our race using the “N word”, when we use it so bluntly? It’s time we stop being hypocrites and start doing some self-evaluations. Making a worldwide change starts with each individual “practicing what they preach”. It’s time we (young black students) take the lead on making the world a better place by coming together to prove those who doubt us. If we’re killing each other and acting out of character, what is that really proving? Nothing, but “they” were right all along.
