a few weeks ago I was sitting in a
faculty meeting where the n-word was
said not once but six times in that
moment I was silenced I talked about
race and social justice in my classes
every day but in that moment my words
were caught in my throat
so I sat there one because I was
terrified and I couldn’t move but also
because I still had to present the
report that I’d been working on for the
past month because no matter how scared
I was I was still at a mandatory work
meeting I’m not gonna give you further
details about the context of why that
word was spoken so many times because
there is no context where that word can
be set and not elicit that response
[Applause]
there’s no intention I can explain that
will put you at ease because that story
is an uncomfortable story and nothing
will change that
the thing is that story is clearly one
of racism but I want you to understand
this evening that racism isn’t usually
that easy to spot it’s usually things
like this are you legal is that your
real hair you don’t act black not native
so Navajo but you’re white how are you
you speak really good English for being
that’s the type of racism we’re gonna
talk about today because usually when
racism happens it’s a microaggression it
said as a compliment or worse as a joke
and so it makes the person afflicted
feel powerless to combat it because
they’re gonna be labeled as overly
sensitive or weak so here we go let’s
have that conversation how are you
feeling uncomfortable afraid maybe
you’re worried about me a stranger you
don’t want to talk about such an ugly
topic perhaps you’ve noticed the color
of my skin and you feel like I might
call you out or put you on the spot
maybe you’re worried about your words
being taken out of context your
reputation maybe you’re even worried
about your job those are all very real
fears people that look like me
we have fears too we’re worried about
being shot killed imprisoned we’re
worried about being deported we’re
worried about being stopped and frisked
passed over ignored our fears are
statistically proven not exceptions to
the rule so when you’re worried about
talking about race understand that maybe
you have a little bit less on the line
growing up right here in Bernalillo
County I was taught how to interact with
law enforcement so that I could make it
home after a routine traffic stop when I
got my license my parents pulled me
aside and they said when a cop stops you
this is what you do one you turn off the
car two you roll down all the windows so
the officer can see everyone inside the
car three you put your hands up four you
explain everything that you’re going to
do before you do it I’m gonna reach with
my right hand into the glove box to get
my registration is that
hey officer surviving as a person of
color in the United States is just that
surviving before you say that’s not us
and give a racist their wings I want you
to understand that it is us because
eight years with the black president
wasn’t enough to heal our nation we
still have to have the conversation the
things that my students shared on those
slides those are spoken every day the
saddest part was I asked them would you
mind sharing something from my TED talk
and they said I’m not sure which
microaggression I should use I did
everything right I stayed in school I
kept my grades up I got degrees yes
plural I got married I had kids and I
bought a house
but those accolades won’t change the
fact that when people look at me they
just see a black girl those experiences
won’t make my voice any louder
the very thing that makes me fight for
equality that makes us fight for
equality is the very thing that makes us
invisible allies have this great
opportunity to sit this one out they can
use that privilege to wait four more
years for a radio well people who can’t
take off their skin we don’t have that
privilege
we need you allies to speak with us for
us and about us we know statistically
that 67% of white media users don’t talk
about race issues on social media even
though black women and men are six times
more likely to be incarcerated in their
lifetime than white people we know that
even though in New Mexico black people
only make up 3% of the population one in
four black men are permanently
disenfranchised
there’s four other states in the US that
have 28% of black men unable to vote due
to felony convictions but those states
have ten times the black population that
we do here we know that black women are
dying at four times the rates and white
women when it comes to pregnancy
childbirth and the year following and
that’s regardless of socioeconomic
status age or education level we know
that crimes of domestic violence are
going underreported because of the fear
of deportation so the next time you see
a shocking statistic do some research
don’t just ignore it and share it on
your social media when someone tells you
that something you said or did offended
them don’t dismiss them instead
apologize and ask how you can do better
the next time you hear a racial joke or
a microaggression
don’t say well I didn’t say it and keep
moving instead think of how you can
create a place of inclusion for that
other that’s in the room where I teach
I’m the only black person in my
department I don’t know if I’m the first
but I know that I watched myself when
I’m at work I make sure to bite my
tongue so that I don’t come across as
the angry black woman and earn that
nomenclature
I’m gracious and patient when fellow
faculty asked me about all things my
I’m careful and everything that I do and
you have to understand that marginalized
group members we take care of how we do
our hair what we wear and how we speak
and we don’t do that for us we do that
to make sure everyone else is
comfortable why do we have to change who
we are to establish a seat at the table
so I ask you don’t just embrace
diversity embrace it with inclusion
thank you [Applause]
faculty meeting where the n-word was
said not once but six times in that
moment I was silenced I talked about
race and social justice in my classes
every day but in that moment my words
were caught in my throat
so I sat there one because I was
terrified and I couldn’t move but also
because I still had to present the
report that I’d been working on for the
past month because no matter how scared
I was I was still at a mandatory work
meeting I’m not gonna give you further
details about the context of why that
word was spoken so many times because
there is no context where that word can
be set and not elicit that response
[Applause]
there’s no intention I can explain that
will put you at ease because that story
is an uncomfortable story and nothing
will change that
the thing is that story is clearly one
of racism but I want you to understand
this evening that racism isn’t usually
that easy to spot it’s usually things
like this are you legal is that your
real hair you don’t act black not native
so Navajo but you’re white how are you
you speak really good English for being
that’s the type of racism we’re gonna
talk about today because usually when
racism happens it’s a microaggression it
said as a compliment or worse as a joke
and so it makes the person afflicted
feel powerless to combat it because
they’re gonna be labeled as overly
sensitive or weak so here we go let’s
have that conversation how are you
feeling uncomfortable afraid maybe
you’re worried about me a stranger you
don’t want to talk about such an ugly
topic perhaps you’ve noticed the color
of my skin and you feel like I might
call you out or put you on the spot
maybe you’re worried about your words
being taken out of context your
reputation maybe you’re even worried
about your job those are all very real
fears people that look like me
we have fears too we’re worried about
being shot killed imprisoned we’re
worried about being deported we’re
worried about being stopped and frisked
passed over ignored our fears are
statistically proven not exceptions to
the rule so when you’re worried about
talking about race understand that maybe
you have a little bit less on the line
growing up right here in Bernalillo
County I was taught how to interact with
law enforcement so that I could make it
home after a routine traffic stop when I
got my license my parents pulled me
aside and they said when a cop stops you
this is what you do one you turn off the
car two you roll down all the windows so
the officer can see everyone inside the
car three you put your hands up four you
explain everything that you’re going to
do before you do it I’m gonna reach with
my right hand into the glove box to get
my registration is that
hey officer surviving as a person of
color in the United States is just that
surviving before you say that’s not us
and give a racist their wings I want you
to understand that it is us because
eight years with the black president
wasn’t enough to heal our nation we
still have to have the conversation the
things that my students shared on those
slides those are spoken every day the
saddest part was I asked them would you
mind sharing something from my TED talk
and they said I’m not sure which
microaggression I should use I did
everything right I stayed in school I
kept my grades up I got degrees yes
plural I got married I had kids and I
bought a house
but those accolades won’t change the
fact that when people look at me they
just see a black girl those experiences
won’t make my voice any louder
the very thing that makes me fight for
equality that makes us fight for
equality is the very thing that makes us
invisible allies have this great
opportunity to sit this one out they can
use that privilege to wait four more
years for a radio well people who can’t
take off their skin we don’t have that
privilege
we need you allies to speak with us for
us and about us we know statistically
that 67% of white media users don’t talk
about race issues on social media even
though black women and men are six times
more likely to be incarcerated in their
lifetime than white people we know that
even though in New Mexico black people
only make up 3% of the population one in
four black men are permanently
disenfranchised
there’s four other states in the US that
have 28% of black men unable to vote due
to felony convictions but those states
have ten times the black population that
we do here we know that black women are
dying at four times the rates and white
women when it comes to pregnancy
childbirth and the year following and
that’s regardless of socioeconomic
status age or education level we know
that crimes of domestic violence are
going underreported because of the fear
of deportation so the next time you see
a shocking statistic do some research
don’t just ignore it and share it on
your social media when someone tells you
that something you said or did offended
them don’t dismiss them instead
apologize and ask how you can do better
the next time you hear a racial joke or
a microaggression
don’t say well I didn’t say it and keep
moving instead think of how you can
create a place of inclusion for that
other that’s in the room where I teach
I’m the only black person in my
department I don’t know if I’m the first
but I know that I watched myself when
I’m at work I make sure to bite my
tongue so that I don’t come across as
the angry black woman and earn that
nomenclature
I’m gracious and patient when fellow
faculty asked me about all things my
I’m careful and everything that I do and
you have to understand that marginalized
group members we take care of how we do
our hair what we wear and how we speak
and we don’t do that for us we do that
to make sure everyone else is
comfortable why do we have to change who
we are to establish a seat at the table
so I ask you don’t just embrace
diversity embrace it with inclusion
thank you [Applause]
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