Be your Sister’s keeper not your sister’s defeater!

Be your Sister’s keeper not your sister’s defeater!

I live in Benicia, CA. I partially grew up in Benicia and Oakland, CA. Which are two completely different environments. As a young African American who grew up in Benicia which is 72.5% white/Caucasian, I have learned the importance of supporting others the same race as yourself, instead of going against each other all the time. I am not saying to be racist and only accept and communicate with your own race but to realize that there are no color lines, however its important from people of the same culture to stick together.

I was once told that one can compare black women to lobsters, who pull each other down to climb out of the boiling pot. I hate to say but being raised in Benicia in the 1990 and now raising my own daughters in the same environments more than 20 years later, that Benicia still suffers from African American supporting each other in today’s society. 

Recently, the only black teacher at Benicia Middle school was punished for holding a meeting with only the black students of the school, and talked to them about supporting each other and sticking together. The Superintendent of schools, gets on public television, and tells everyone that the teacher was wrong, and did things inappropriately, and that today’s issues aren’t just black issues but everyone’s issues. I strongly disagreed with this statement!

Although, growing up in Benicia I experienced racism, the bullying and difficult years as a teenager was being bullied by other black girls just such as myself. In recent days, Benicia only has 5.6% African American, equaling out to be approximately I black kid per class, and today my daughter is also being bullied by girls her own race, and even the only black teacher in the school noticed, how we as African Americans are not sticking together but instead hurting each other’s, and tried to take action and bring it to the attention of our young black students.

Race does affect everyone, and as the text says. “Every individual in your audience has some existing knowledge or context relevant to your story.” (Martin Sykes, 2013)  Which I am sure is true and what the superintendent was attempting to discuss, however stats also show that there are more black people killing and bullying other black people, than black on white crime or any other race. Blacks are killing Black! This needs to be addressed! Although, Benicia doesn’t have a high crime rate or even a murder rate, but I do believe everything starts when your younger, the way you were raised and the environment you’re in, and if we don’t address these small groups of kids now at an early age, we can be setting them up for failure in the future where they will be forced to work with others in an environment, where they aren’t adapted to working with others of their own race. Where they to get along, support each other, instead of pulling each other down as if we are always in competition with each other. This is not an; everybody issue this is definitely and black issue!

I believe that when people can find a common ground then they are more accepting and understanding. Find common ground is the place where people can discuss differences, share ideas, find solutions and start creating something together. (Martin Sykes, 2013)  I believe that this is the best approach when dealing with sensitive issues such as race relations, even between the same races.

Although, I realize some like the Superintendent aren’t going to understand blacks talking to other blacks, and building unity at a culture or race, or may feel this is an issue that affects everyone but this issue is not, this is an African American, a black issue that needs to be addressed.

Some need proof that this is a cultural issue, so persuade young black youth and now others who feel this isn’t a black issue, and that it is important for blacks together and discuss this issue, I want to provide some stats.

The 2013 FBI Uniform Crime Report, a compilation of annual crime statistics, also shows similar data: 83 percent of white victims were killed by white offenders; 90 percent of black victims were killed by black offenders; 14 percent of white victims were killed by black offenders; and 7.6 percent of black victims were killed by white offenders. (Lee, 2014)

With these stats it’s evident that not just black but all cultures should work together with their same cultures to make sure we have better race relations in society. To help start defeating statistics such as these.

I know that I will have people who disagree with what I am saying or that I am singling out black youth, but this is a pattern that hasn’t changed over twenty years, and needs to be addressed! The statistics don’t lie, and if we don’t start making changes in our young black lives, then we can just about consider ourselves extinct.

References

Lee, M. Y. (2014, Nov 25). Giuliani’s claim that 93 percent of black murder victims are killed by other blacks. Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/11/25/giulianis-claim-that-93-percent-of-blacks-are-killed-by-other-blacks/

Martin Sykes, A. N. (2013). Stories that move mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.