In response to yesterday's feature article on Africans and African Americans, which in my opinion pigmented erroneous anti-African-American feelings, I would like to rightfully delineate my stand on issues faced by Africans integrating into American society as a whole.
Immigrant Africans do find it difficult to fully immerse themselves into African-American culture. In much the same way, immigrants confront this problem when trying to assimilate and simultaneously retain their identity in the United States. The term "melting pot" no longer applies. We refer to the US as a salad bowl; rightly so, in that the majority of immigrants who come to this country find a place of their own where they can retain their culture and secure their identity.
Coming to college does not entail being presented with ethnic options from which one chooses from; thus, it would be incorrect to state that given the opportunity to "insulate [my]self within an African-American community...," I outwardly opted not to do so. I do not feel ostracized by the African-American community. A person's race, ethnicity, and community are designated by choice. I had the opportunity to live with a white suburban upper-middle class, Jewish family; however, because I am familiar with that culture and way of life, I do not call myself a Jew.
A quote included in the article implied to some that I have no African-American friends. I am happy to say that my relations with African-American students on the Tufts campus have not only been beneficial in settling in at Tufts, but have also been educational to me in understanding African-American culture. I was also quoted in saying that I will not sit with "...a pack of African-Americans...." In the same way, I would find it difficult to sit down with a group of Brazilians at the dinner table. In my opinion the tone set by the Daily about disassociating myself from the African-American community is misrepresentative of my feelings. Obviously, just because I do not fully understand African-American culture, does not mean that I should not associate with African-Americans.
I taught in Roxbury this past summer (which was incorrectly stated as an internship by the Daily), through a community-based program at the Phillips Brooks House Association at Harvard University. That summer, most of the teachers had never been exposed to a predominantly African-American and Hispanic population that was representative of the Mission Hill and Alice Taylor housing developments. My ignorance of African-American culture did not stop me from forming great emotional attachments to the children I worked with, nor did it inhibit me from becoming a part of their daily family life. Yet, it appeared that the Daily focused on the conviction that, because I am African and know little about African-American culture, because I do not participate in the PAA, and because I feel discomfort in forcing myself into that culture, that I must be anti-African-American, a "...perspective...that borders on offensive."
The tone set by the Daily conveyed that I viewed my older sister, Nina, in a condescending manner. This is not the case. Since Nina is my older sister, I give her the respect that she deserves. Nina has comfortably assimilated herself in African-American culture, which adds positively to her identity. Nonetheless, when she and I are in our parents' home, we still bestow the same amount of respect and traditional customs that we followed in Nigeria.
My parents' cultural way of life, and daily interactions define who they are - Nina and I respect this. Furthermore, out of respect, we do not exhibit African-American or suburban mannerisms over pounded yam and egusi soup (a traditional Nigerian dish). It is not an issue with my parents to whom their children relate, or what culture their children choose to immerse themselves in for the purpose of creating a stable and secure personal identity. Nina accepts that the way I live my life resembles that of a Jewish, suburban kid. And I fully accept any decisions she makes. If anything, she has only reminded me of the danger of losing our Nigerian culture.
I was also quoted by the Daily in saying that "I have never dated an African-American man." Is a reader supposed to gather from this that I am anti-black? Does this mean that I don't find Tyson Beckford or Michael Jordan drop dead gorgeous? Of course not. Did the Daily inquire as to if I have dated African men? It did not. To reiterate, during the four years that I have resided in this country, I have not dated an individual of Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, or Guyanese descent. That is not to say that I am thereby prejudiced against them.
Dating is not a concept that is readily accepted in my Nigerian, Islamic home; however, it must also be noted that the Daily failed to inquire about my family's cultural perception of this matter. The Daily clearly pointed out a few of the racial issues I have faced living in white, suburbia. For example, dealing with inter-racial relationships. Such issues are not new to me or to my family. My parents concern for Nina's choosing to date African-American men stems from their experience with racial divisions and arguments that they have faced and overcome as a result of their marriage. It is only natural that they share their concern for my sister's and my dating and marrying men with whom we share no cultural synergy.
I do not deny the existence of racism and prejudice in our community. On a whole, African Americans make up about 13 percent of the total US population (the US Census Bureau provides such statistics). It makes sense then that any discrimination African-Americans face on a day to day basis should be brought to light. The Daily quoted me in saying that, "Blacks should bring themselves up instead of continuously focusing on how they're discriminated against... [c]oming from an African country that has achieved a lot - it's doable."
Yes, it was doable in a country that is made of a 100 percent black population. Moreover, the Daily failed to quote me on saying that, even though the Nigerians gained independence from the British, they still have not figured out ways of getting over ethnic divisions and human rights violations; thus, social mobility on a whole is a lengthy, political, and slow process.
It is true that for the most part I lead a multi-cultural existence giving precedence to all the ethnicities that I have encountered and have been able to identify with one way or another. For the most part, I consider myself an inconspicuous part of the Tufts community. However, in the hopes of creating multi-cultural awareness within this community, it appears as though my contribution has only created misconceptions of the delicate issue of race.
Gina Jibrin is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.
