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“Oh wow. I submitted something earlier and looking back at this a lot of it is really gross.Not gonna lie but the average white person, myself included, sounds really dumb about race relations. Period.”
03.01.11 ♥ 1
“Most non-black kids at Yale think that having black friends is ‘enough’ to understand race and blackness at Yale. It’s not. Most of my friends are white, and they still have no idea how race plays a role in every single social, academic, romantic or professional interaction I have on campus, and in the world. They just don’t get it.”
03.01.11 ♥ 3
“I came from an integrated and diverse high school, and so it’s frustrating to go to events at the Af-Am House and see people (who I’ve introduced myself to multiple times and know a lot about) ignore me and only talk to my black roommate.”
03.01.11 ♥ 0
“Blackness” at Yale carries a certain connotation. As a black student at Yale, I almost feel insulted when I see how much the black community tries to estrange itself from the rest of the Yale community, whcih apparantely consists of all upper-class, wealthy snobs, unwilling to open themselves up to the black community. It’s surprising, because there are blacks here who have had these so-called “elitist” experiences, and feel that they themselves cannot fit into the black culture present.

To be “black”, you must be willing to conform to the “hood” background that the black community here relates themselves to, and if you do not come from that background, you will struggle to fit in. If you do not share their experiences, it is to your disadvantage. It is one thing for the black community to be a strong network of support, but it’s a problem when your ability to join this network is based on your background, and your “blackness”. As much as other races at Yale should be more open to the black community (given it is a minority), the black students here should also try and branch out, because there are whites/asians/hispanics/etc here who may/may not be millionaires, who have nothing against blacks and are willing to befriend them too. It should be a two-way effort.”

03.01.11 ♥ 2
“It bothers me when white people say they would love to have black friends. That statement bears resemblance to statements like, ‘I would love to own the latest Moncler jacket’ or ‘negro is retro, get your black friend today!’ What level of friendship can be achieved under those circumstances?”
03.01.11 ♥ 3
“Yale has made me uniquely aware of my place in society. I am not wealthy, white nor am I male. This reality follows me everywhere I go on campus and cuts deeper than comments made about the facilities staff who just happen to be of similar color as myself.

Is it so wrong that I chose to spend time with people who I can relate to on a deeper level than the ubiquitous ‘hi, hello, my name is’ dialogue at Yale? Many of my fine melanin endowed friends and I have shared experiences that have nothing to do with vacationing in the East of France and fond memories of prep school. It’s not a direct insult to Yale’s claim to diversity, but rather acknowledgment of the fact that the dynamics of this place simply do not lend themselves to the achievement of the ‘dream’.”

03.01.11 ♥ 3
“So many UNEDUCATED individuals feel the urge to criticize BSAY when they haven’t a CLUE of the history behind it and its formation in 1967. Continuing in the theme of ignorance, people seem to have created some negative connotation to go along with the Af-Am house and imagined that BSAY has created some exclusive cult within. OPEN YOUR EYES.

These pathetic excuses about self-segregation in the black community are OLD & TIRED. We ALL choose friends based on character and NOTHING more! Don’t create meaning out of what’s not there. Stop JUDGING and stop INSTIGATING. Take a look at yourself and these thoughts that you’re having about the black community and then decide why it is that some of us have yet to befriend you.”

03.01.11 ♥ 0
“I never knew that people really considered themselves as ‘mixed race’ until I came to Yale. Where I’m from, you’re either black or white or something else, but there is no in between. That being said, there are a lot of things that I have been exposed to for the first time since coming to Yale - and that’s the whole point, right? To learn something new about people alike and different from yourself.

The way other people choose to identify themselves seems to have everybody up in arms. It’s worth talking about, yes, but every community is made up a wealth of individual identities - and the way to build community is to consider, accept and value all of those identities. From no other foundation can solidarity truly form. “

02.27.11 ♥ 0
“We can look at self-segregation at Yale two ways; black kids hanging with each other to the exclusion of whites, or whites hanging out with each other to the exclusion of black students. Why don’t more white students date interracially? Why are they so averse to going to the AfAm House and black parties? Why are we tasked with going out of our way?”
02.27.11 ♥ 0
“I’m tired of hearing people say we’re all the same while watching them black students differently. If we’re all the same why are so many white and Asian students say that they feel nervous going to the House? If we’re all the same a white Yalie should feel just as comfortable at the House as they at Slifka, right? What makes it OK for them to be uncomfortable being in the minority but not us?”
02.27.11 ♥ 0