Dealing, day by day we all deal with our own problems
Imagine what the world would be like if people remembered that and to
View and treat everyone how they would want to be treated themselves
Even if you don’t look like them or have the same beliefs?
Rhetorical, you would think that would be a Rhetorical question
Some might even think it is sarcasm so much that they know the right answer
In reality, people ignore what is clearly right
To taste the feeling of acceptance and fitting in
Youth and adults both guilty of this trend
Impacting generations then, and at this rate also the ones to come
Simply being yourself and things that you cannot change fuel this trend
Why does one feel the need to bring someone down?
How does one have so much hate in their heart?
At what point is enough finally enough?
Though it is not a big deal to me, does it mean it is not important at all?
Many logical questions later
And still
Knowledge, common sense grade school knowledge which must be rocket science
Evicts out of one’s mind and
Strategically and collectively out of others
Like a forest fire or tornado, hatred has the power to quickly spread and
It destroys everything in its path
Fearfully looking at the destruction it causes
Everyone or I should say most conforms to the majority instead of stopping it
So many people have to learn how to deal with the negativity and hate from
Others for just existing and it’s not okay
Unite!
Numbers, there is much strength and power in numbers
In the same way many people follow others to spread hate
Quantity can be used to spread love and fight against senseless demise
Underdog is love
Expecting it to lose but it always wins
Accountability is what change starts with you
Never know what someone else is going through
Don’t add on to one’s stress and problems
So, the next time you see arrogance against diversity
Please don’t allow it to continue, embrace diversity
Everyone is different which is great
Capture or better yet
Imagine
Aworld where
Love wins
Dawn Allen, Portrait of ChrisSean Evans, Kansas City, March 2019
“Diversity” is inspired by my friend ChrisSean Evans who I interviewed because we both have differences in the community being a minority and having health issues. Us both being black but him having dyspnea and myself having sickle cell disease, we could relate about the struggles of being made fun of racially, but not about our different health issues Therefore I thought it would be interesting to interview him and compare and contrast. During the interview, we discussed his dyspnea, difficult or labored breathing, and how people made fun of him. He explained when one started, more and more people would join in just for the fun of it. In my poem, I stated, “Fearfully looking at the destruction it causes everyone, or I should say most conforms.” Which reminded me of the play “Rhinoceros” and how people comply with the majority with no actual logic behind it. It’s just more comfortable and easier to be with the majority than fight and stand for what you believe in. He also told me how these events made him wish he can change himself, which really upset me. Thus I wrote the poem about diversity, and how it is a beautiful part of life that we should embrace. No one should be discriminated against because of their race, religion, disability, etc. My friend closed the interview by stressing that if someone were to learn one thing about his experiences, it’s to treat others with the same respect you would want for yourself. “Diversity” is inspired by and explains exactly his goal from the situations he has been through.
For my narrative, I decided to use a bull as a metaphor for my friend Khair, who is African American. In the poem, the bull faces trouble from a parasite, who tries to influence him and take over his mind. In this, its a parallel to how my friend experienced racism from the men at the basketball court. At the court, the men would make comments about how Khair has more “natural hops” and how he’s “naturally more athletic” because of his skin color. To me, it sounds like the men were older and maybe that was just how they were raised. That to them, it was okay to say those things. However, my friend told me that the events at the basketball court rattled and changed his opinion of how black men are viewed in modern America, and how surprising it was to see how the older generation of white men viewed younger African Americans, and in general, and how somewhat attacking it was. My friend was dazed, but ultimately had to come to the conclusion that fighting back, and arguing about the situation would only lessen the view of African Americans in white men’s mind. So he decided to stay silent, and allow the men to say what they had to, knowing that in the future, things will be different with movements such as Black Lives Matter, and a new wave of progressive leaders.
This is a story about the reality
of the world we live in today. It is a story about the power of a difference in
a person’s life. It is the story of a young woman’s racial
struggles from childhood; a young woman by the name Adanna Okorocha.
“Mum! I am going to be late for school!” the little Ada shouted. Ada – the name everyone called her – was a young girl of 11 years. She attended Maple Grove Middle School, which was one of the best private schools in Maple Grove, Alabama- the little town she lived in with her family. Born into a Nigerian family, in the United States, Ada had been different all her life. Not only is she a minority in the US, there has always been a disparity between her and other people of color, solely because of her ethnicity.
“Do you have your lunch money with you?”, asked her mother, frantically moving about, making sure her daughter was perfect for school. It was her second week of school, and she didn’t want her daughter looking like she wasn’t well taken care of. She had come to understand that being black in this country came with a lot of stereotypes, even if they did not necessarily apply to you. “Yes mum. And I have my right pair of socks and already combed my hair”. Ada answered knowing fully well what her mum was going to ask next. “Good. Be safe in school baby girl, and make sure you don’t let anyone pick on you for no reason whatsoever. You have your teachers in school to always turn to if you need any help. Ok?” she asked as she straightened out Ada’s collar. “Yes mummy! Love you! Bye!” Ada shouted as she ran towards the school bus waiting outside her house. The driver was cheerful today. He had just received his paycheck and his wife had made his favorite meal for breakfast. He didn’t mind waiting a little for this little black kid…he didn’t mind at all. There was something different about her. She wasn’t like the other African American kids he had come across in all his years of bus driving. “Good morning, Mr. Michaels!” They did not greet him the way she did. “Good morning! How are you?” he said giving her a warm smile. “I am good! How are you?” “I am good as well” he said smiling as she found her way to the back of the bus looking for a space to sit. She had to go through the usual routine of looking for space in the bus. She would find a seat, but no one wanted her to sit next to them, and that’s how her ride to school was, sitting at the back of the bus, alone every day.
Maple Grove Middle School was a predominantly white school. The top-level classes where normally filled with only Caucasians. This was a normal trend in Maple Grove. The few African Americans at this school were stuck together, not interacting with the rest of the school. At least that’s how it was supposed to be. Ada was an exception in this school. She had just come into the school and, in less than two weeks, was already in the advanced classes. The teachers were amazed at how a black girl could keep up in a class like that. “Good morning, Ada, how are you doing today?” said Ada’s English teacher. “I am doing good, Miss Ann” said Ada as she continued to her class. “How are your parents?” asked Miss Ann. Ada had gotten used to this routine of greeting. She had always sensed that her teachers thought that, because she was black, she would have issues in her family. This was a stereotype to the black people. Her family was doing fine. Her parents had been married for ten years now and had never had a significant fight. “They are doing well, Miss Ann” Ada responded as she always did. She finally got to her class and as usual moved to her seat on the right side of the class, alone, and isolated from the rest of the class. It wasn’t a new thing to her. In fact, she has been used to this treatment right from elementary school. It wasn’t the same in her other classes. The other classes she took – which had more black people in them – treated her like any other student. Why was this an exception? She had taken some math placement tests and was placed in eight grade math class while she was in the sixth grade.
“Did you understand that Ada?” asked her math teacher. “Yes, Miss Jane” Ada couldn’t understand why the teachers acted this way to her. On one hand, it was like they cared; on the other, they were just waiting for her downfall. She couldn’t tell which was happening at any moment in time. There were times when she would walk down the hallway, on her way to the cafeteria, and just as she would pass by her teachers, she would overhear them say things like “I can’t believe she is keeping up in this class” or “She is actually quite smart for a black girl”. What they did not understand was that, being smart is not a function of your skin color. Yes, she was smart, there was no doubting that. However, so were the other kids in her class, but no one made a big deal about it. Why did they think she was different? That was when it struck her. She had been in a similar situation before. She had not given it much thought until now. Her first encounter with racism happened when she was much younger.
Ada had just returned from school and as it was her routine, she dropped her bag, finished her homework and got ready to go to the playground in front of her apartment complex. Her mum, who already knew this routine, came out from her room and walked behind her little girl. The playground was not far at all. In fact, it was in their compound. But still, she was not going to take her chances with this neighborhood. No, not where black people are discriminated against. Her husband was a doctor and she had her degree in Computer science. They had just started this family and had managed to provide for their two children on a daily basis. Their first born, Ada, was a smart child and could take care of herself. But with their new born , Nonso, they had to work extra hard. Ada’s father was the only good physicians in this little town they lived in, but because he was black, everyone would rather drive for miles to the nearest health center. There had been instances when their family would go shopping at their neighborhood store and end up buying nothing because of irrational racist actions from the employees and other customers. No, there was no way she was letting her baby girl go out on her own. They had just reached the playground when they saw this little girl sitting by herself on the swing. She was white. She looked sad and six-year old Ada asked her mum if she could go play with her. “Sure, you can. Just don’t hurt yourself”. Ada joyfully ran up to the girl and asked her name. Cindy and Ada played and played until the sun went down. Her mum was so proud. She had raised a good child. They played that way every day after school, on the weekends, in the evenings just when the sun was about leaving the sky. Every time Ada crossed the gate to the playground, her friend would come right behind her. They lived in the same apartment complex but why had she never seen her friends’ parents come with her to the playground? Not even her mother. At least her own mother came and watched over the two children. She believed that was ok. This daily affair went on between these two friends until one day that Ada’s friend came down to the playground with her mother. Ada was excited because she loved meeting people, but her mum was uneasy even though she had been taking care of this person’s daughter for some time now. Cindy’s mother looked into the playground and asked her daughter who these people were. “Oh, that is my friend Ada and her mum. We play here everyday” said the innocent girl. Cindy’s mother let go of her child’s hand, walked up to Ada’s mother and asked, “So you think it is ok for your daughter to play with my daughter?” Ada’s mother responded “yes, why not?”, “Well I just thought maybe you would want to meet her parents first, you know? We are trying to raise her well and we don’t want anything to, you know, influence that in a negative way”, “What do you mean?!” Ada’s mother would not have it. This white lady had just called her daughter a bad influence. All Ada could hear from the other end of the playground was shouting and disagreement. She did not understand what was going on. She just wanted to play with her friend. The argument went on until Cindy’s mum grabbed her daughter by the hand and stormed off the playground. And so, the two little friends did not play that day.
The next day, Ada went to the playground in the evening as usual but as she neared the gate, her friend, Cindy, was stepping out of the playground. “Hey! Are you leaving?” Ada asked innocently. “Yeah. My mum said I shouldn’t play with you anymore. She said you people had no respect,”. What Cindy had just said would infuriate someone else in a similar situation, but not Ada. She did not feel bad at all. In fact, she thought it was a normal thing. “Oh ok, makes sense. Bye Cindy!” she said as she waved cheerfully to Cindy heading back to her apartment. They were not meant to be friends anyway. She was black and her friend was white. Her parents had already told her all these stereotypes about how white people treated black people. This was the same situation with Cindy and her mother. Both sides had told bad things to their children about the other. Little did they know that they were sowing disparity into the lives of these young ones. Now they would grow and pass this same seed to their children, and on and on till we finally break this chain.
This was many years ago. It all made sense to her now. What had been done to her back when she was little was still going on in her middle school. She started thinking of ways to reduce this racial treatment. She noticed that the white kids dressed in a certain way. They wore the latest shoes, clothes which she thought were “white brands,”(26:57). Whatever it took she had to change herself to fit in. She bugged her parents, saying she needed new clothes and shoes. Her request was met, but what she got were off brands. Nonetheless, she would finally fit in. But to her dismay, the very same people she tried so hard to become, laughed at her. This had happened before in history when the Nazi’s occupied Europe. The Nazis murdered the Jews simply because they hated them for their difference. Even when they seemed to give the Jews options they went back on their word and killed them anyway. Although this scenario is not as extreme, Ada never again was going to try and fit in.
Ollyy, African young woman taking off a mask of a caucasian woman- Image, Royalty-free stock photo ID: 102504455 , https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/african-young-woman-taking-off-mask-102504455?src=w-bhd7g14pFly3J0o0DJ5A-1-0, March 3, 2019. All rights reserved.
This one experience of her being ridiculed for trying to change, changed her mind set, and how she lives her life today. Yes, she had a lot to prove to others to break the stereotype used against her, she wasn’t going to let anyone bring her so low as to change who she was. . Although, Ada and I share the same ethnicity, we differ in terms of citizenship status, and hence our experiences with racism are completely different. Nonetheless, just as Ada had found this new hope in herself, so must we all in our struggle for acceptance. For we are who we are for us, not for “them”.
Culture and identity is something that everyone takes pride in. Haleyanne Mawhosay is a Filipino that lives in Kansas City and has been through many encounters where her race has made people put a certain label on her. These seem to happen all through school where she is in public and there is a very diverse group of people all in one place. She described how the two most common cliches that people would use as devices to be racist towards her were “all Asians are smart” and “all Asians look the same.”
Andrew Dressman, Philippines, March 2019. All rights reserved.
Haleyanne has gotten many racist comments from both students and teachers. She talks about an experience in elementary school when they had group assignments the teacher would put all the Asians in one group. “They were all really subtle things like really subtle, like for example putting all the Asians in one group in elementary school in a reading book, like did she mean to do that, I don’t know” (9:00). This made her always suspect why teachers would do this and she felt like she was being separated and singled out for her race in that situation. Later in high school when she was in social studies, her class was discussing the Vietnam War. She always felt uncomfortable during this time when the teacher would say something about the Vietnam War and the whole class would look at her, expecting her to know information about the topic more than anyone else just because she was Asian, not even Vietnamese. Hearing about this at first I was in complete shock, but after thinking about this, that type of racism happens around us all the time. Some cases can be milder and other cases will be much more direct and offensive. In this case, she said that she actually thought that they thought she was Vietnamese and that she could actually give insight into the situation. However, this was incredibly offensive to her because she felt like no one, not even the teacher put in the time to know her actual culture and identity.
Andrew Dressman, Philippines, March 2019, All rights reserved.
I don’t know how bad it must feel to be falsely identified and falsely labeled, however, I’ve experienced it happening to other people of many different cultures, to where their race is either falsely identified and compared to another race or they are straight up just being made fun of for their race. What I notice is that when a racist comment gets made; the victim won’t show that they are being affected or hurt in any way because they don’t want to draw more attention to themselves and they just want to fit in. This makes the one that makes the comment feel like it’s okay to say these things because they think it’s just a joke but in no situation ever it’s okay and it definitely should never be seen as a joke. The best way I can try to see how it makes them feel is by trying to put myself in her shoes. It would make me feel like less of a person and it would dehumanize me just a little bit to think that people see me as just a person in a cluster of races without them actually knowing my real identity and culture. I think it is super important to learn about everyone’s individual culture cause then you get to know the person fully for who they are and you can understand their practices and where they came from in a much more personal way.
Andrew Dressman, Philippines, March 2019. All rights reserved.
Haleyanne states that she thinks white people have very similar features as well and she will often see white people that look very similar. However, because she knows that diversity is a big thing in this world she doesn’t think of it as any different than her race because, in the end, we are all human beings. Another thing that I think is interesting is that she says is that everyone thinks that she is either Vietnamese or Chinese. “I’m not Vietnamese, like that’s one thing, everyone thinks I’m Vietnamese or Chinese, cause yeah like growing up no one knew what the Philippines was like is that a color, like no one knew what it was” (9:10). I think this is interesting because it’s not only racist to her race but also to Vietnamese and Chinese people because she says that each one of those races has very different practices and ideologies.
Andrew Dressman, Philippines, March 2019, All rights reserved.
Haleyanne brings up how she thinks Asians are all classified into one area because often their dress and style will be similar. She mentions how it is actually very true that Asian children have very few hairstyles that they choose from and that the clothing style can be similar. However, she also states that these are just trends and that it is the very same thing with other races. Like how White people will wear jeans and tennis shoes often, it is the very same thing and if we were to see it from their lens that we would notice that we all dress very similar as well because of what may be in style at the time. I think this is hypocritical to think of because it does kind of bleed into another topic of how people are trying to fit in and look like everyone else, yet people make fun of other races for looking too much like each other.
Haleyanne says that the more offensive comments actually come at a young age because children will be immature and say whatever they think is funny, however, there is another part of it that she says people started finding her race and diversity to be very cool and unique once she got to high school. She says she doesn’t know why this is, but I think that this might be the case because when we are younger we are all trying to fit in and we are very self-conscious about ourselves at this time, but when we get older we are trying to find our own identity and discover what separates us from the rest and so we think that it is cool that people like her already have a distinguishing factor that separates us from the rest. Sadly this can’t be said for everyone and segregation and racism still happens in school.
Andrew Dressman, Philippines, March 2019, All rights reserved.
I think this is a running issue that happens all around the country and Kansas City is no different. Kansas City is very racially diverse and this makes it difficult for racism to not happen but then it also makes the city more accepting of it because we are surrounded by different races every day. In schools, I believe that teachers and students need to be more aware of each individual’s racial identity in order to avoid segregation and this will, in turn, see everyone for who they are and not put false labels on specific groups of people.
Do people’s actions and words deserve to get a rise out of individuals different from them? Is it our duty to fight ignorance and discrimination for the improvement of the younger generation’s future? For being in such a liberal part of the Midwest, she has faced more discrimination than anywhere else. Growing up in three different states, Louisiana, Maryland, and Missouri, her childhood has been shaped to fit the social norm around her. Starting with Louisiana, the southern United States. It wasn’t always easy being an African-American woman in a racist part of town. Growing up with other kids and having them be disgusted by her appearance. She was judged for everything, even the very words she spoke. Apparently being “very articulate with [her] words” and using proper English was not a fad in southern Louisiana (04:21). She was taught well by her mother but was unfortunately made fun of “trying to be white” for not using social slang (04:59). She was not trying to be something she wasn’t; she was living the only way she knew how. They accused her of thinking she was better than the other kids. When she saw other kids experiencing similar racial profiling, she asked for help. She asked her school administrators and they claimed they couldn’t do anything about it. She disagreed, “there is something [they] can do about it. [They] just don’t want to do anything about it” (09:30). She was always “an outcast” and she never even got along with other African-Americans (05:05). She did get “along with white people” but they would often “cross the line” in some of the things they would say (05:05). She has always been isolated because she was different from everybody else. Much like in They Were Just People by Bill Tammeus and Jacques Cukierkorn, a collection of true stories that tell about personal times during the Holocaust. One story in particular about Zygie and Sol Allweiss, a portion of the story says that Zygie was taken in by a nice family because the Germans did not view the “Jews as fellow human beings” much like someone would isolate a person just for their color or appearance (They Were Just People).
When she was in early high school, she began to change; she realized that she was sexually attracted to girls. For her, this was the third tier for social discrimination, and her guardians were not supportive at all. For years she’s been hearing horrible things from the people that she thought were her role models. “We don’t want you to be gay” her mother exclaims, “We want you to have a nice little marriage, with a man” (12:13). Hearing that at an already rebellious age made her even more afraid to express herself. She would try and “force [herself] to be with guys…[she] would always keep going back to girls” (12:13). Trying to be something she was not, she was starting to see that if she tried to live up to her mother’s expectations, she would be miserable her entire life. She realized if her family really loved her, they would not try to change who she already was.
Kansas City is overall, a politically divided city. You have liberals and conservatives; you have safe spaces and places of discrimination. A place that has been safe in her judgment is her place of work. Starbucks has given her a space to be herself and work freely without worry of judgment. She hasn’t “dealt with any racism from [her] co-workers” or “any homophobia” because everyone who works there comes from different backgrounds (14:23). It is important to surround ourselves with positive energy and supportive people, and she found that at her place of work.
So, I asked her what it was like being African-American, homosexual, and a woman. “Sometimes being a woman is like, the third tier” she exclaims (16:08). She has experienced discrimination in all three categories, and the one person she should trust has let her down the most. When she was a young teenager, she was beginning to question her sexuality. “[Her] mother found out that [she] liked girls, and she treated [her] like absolute garbage” (16:40). Her mother took away all of her privileges so she couldn’t contact girls. Her mother used her own religion against her, saying “that’s not what God wants from you” and drove her away from Christianity (16:40). She considered her religion to be her safe space and when her mother used it against her to tell her what she was doing was wrong, she made the decision not to follow any religion. Her mother was ashamed and told her not to express herself on social media out of fear of being embarrassed, but she wasn’t about to change who she was to gratify people she barely even knew. Her relationship with her mother was deteriorating slowly over a period of time, and she has said some crazy things. Her mother asked why she couldn’t be like other parents and “just have to deal with [her] being boy crazy” and not be ashamed of her daughter (19:47). It is hard on her now because she unfortunately still lives with her mother, and their relationship is toxic. It is hard when someone longs for a good relationship with a parent but keeps having to push them away because they aren’t supportive or loving in the ways one would expect. Luckily, she has a strong relationship with her father; she is not completely unsupported in her journey.
One can either dwell on the past or learn from it. This brave young woman has chosen to learn from her past and it has made her so much stronger. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in the black community, it doesn’t matter if you hang around with straight people, gay people, like there is always going to be somebody, somebody that has an issue with you” (24:00). She strives to make a change by encouraging people to be more accepting and open-minded. She gives advice to people in similar situations, “do anything to relieve your stress” she says (26:15). She encourages people not to entertain racism, bigotry, or homophobia. She always picks her battles wisely and intervenes when she feels it is the right thing to do. She doesn’t feel the need to react to everything thrown her way. Patience and tolerance are key for her to live stress-free. “Not every reaction needs a reaction” and I feel everyone should introduce this to their lives and learn from situations (07:13). We as a society should not be focusing on isolating people because they are of a different race, sexuality, or gender. If we express our voice and fight the ignorance and the prejudice in this country, we may be a virtuous nation once again.
The life that has be
painted for him in his short nineteen years,
Has been filled with
difficult experiences;
Experiences of hatred,
Experiences of racism,
Experiences of prejudice,
Experiences of denial;
All because of a pigment.
Made out for something he
is not,
By people he doesn’t even
know.
Painting him with
judgement,
Without knowing his
story,
Because of a pigment.
They move to the other
side of the street when he is walking,
They stare and whisper
about him when he is doing nothing at all,
They fear the very color
of his skin,
They are filled with
fear,
Because of a pigment.
But because of a pigment,
He has also learned amazing things.
He has learned that the
people who remain in his picture,
Are the ones who are
truly worth having in his life.
They love him
unconditionally,
They accept his color,
They stand up for him
When someone is trying to crush his spirit,
Because of a pigment.
Because of a pigment,
Despite all the hate he
receives,
He has learned to love
himself,
Unconditionally.
He has learned to be
successful,
Thanks to the amazing
role models he has in his life.
His father,
His mother,
His siblings.
Who have shown him that
you that you can have any pigment,
And still be successful
in the world.
You do not need to feel
discouraged,
Because of a pigment.
He has had many negative
experiences,
He has learned things
that no one his age should have to know.
Been treated in ways that
no one should be treated.
But because of a pigment,
He has also experienced
so much love.
By friends,
Family,
And most importantly
himself.
He has learned that he
cannot be torn down,
Because of something as
simple as
A pigment.
Author’s Note:
Hailey Black, Portrait of Dae’Ron Jones, Kansas City, 2018, All rights reserved.
Because of a Pigment was inspired by a good friend of mine, Dae’Ron Jones. Dae’Ron is a nineteen-year-old student at Hastings College in Hastings, NE. He grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, graduating from Raytown High School. Currently, I am taking Anchor 214: European Cultures, Histories, and Ideas at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. We were assigned to interview someone different from us in order to gain insight into what it was like to live a life that was different from ours. I decided to interview Dae’Ron to ask him about his experiences as growing up as an African-American He told me about many of the struggles he experienced throughout his life, from the racism and prejudice to the horrible violence members of his own family experienced. “…back when I was [in] elementary school, my siblings and like one of our really close family friends were at the mall one time and they got into kind of an argument with some people in the parking lot, some black people in the parking lot. And then some white cops came to the scene, and they just kind of over-escalated the situation with my siblings and started like beating them, they sprayed my sister with mace. […] They tased my, two of my other sisters.” (12:12) He also told me about how hard it was for him to not try and change himself to be more “white”. This part of Dae’Ron’s story reminded me of the graphic novel Maus by Art Spiegelman. Published in 1980, Maus is a graphic novel that tells the memoir of Spiegelman’s father, a Holocaust survivor. Not only is it a graphic novel and a memoir, but Maus also contains a bit of historical fiction when Spiegelman is telling about his father’s experiences. Notably, Spiegelman depicted all the Jewish characters as mice. Often, these Jewish mice are illustrated in pig masks, which represents Polish people, to conceal their identity. This is often what Dae’Ron did; he tried to put on a mask to hide who he really was. He tried to conceal his pigment in order to fit in. But soon he learned that trying to wear this mask was pointless; it was not at all him. With the help of his loving family, he learned to be proud of who he was.
People of
a multitude of colors and cultures are so timorous.
Taught
to follow a mold and not to break it.
I never knew I was dissimilar to the majority.
For I
was surrounded by those alike that enjoyed me.
Living
in America, a country of freedom and equality,
I never
truly felt accepted, even in the U.S. Army.
Olivia Stoehr, Portrait of Faustino Barbosa, St. Joseph, MO, 1951, February 2019. All rights reserved.
You
would expect during a war we would all be treated the same,
But that
wasn’t the case.
I was viewed
by others as simple-minded.
Unable
to comprehend what the officers wanted.
Only having
friends resembling me,
While
the others speak sly slurs to some degree.
Required
to complete whatever duty the officers assign,
Never
to question why we couldn’t be on the front lines.
Manipulation
and mistreatment are customary.
Majors fabricating a job to drive trucks,
In
hopes we would volunteer without any fuss.
I conclude
from a friend they are tricking us.
Presuming
that our kind are used to laborious tasks,
Since
that would be our occupation outside of the war.
Assumptions
make my soul feel sore.
For I
am just like everyone else inside.
But they
see me as vermin and want me fried.
I stand
my ground because I am proud,
For my
culture is a part of me.
Only if
this world could see me for who I truly am,
Then I wouldn’t be told by those I know to scram.
An interview I had with a great uncle, Faustino Barbosa, about his difference in race, compared to myself, inspired this interview. Faustino Barbosa, born in 1930, grew up in St. Joseph, MO his entire life, and faced discrimination. He grew up in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, so he felt at ease there. Certain restaurants still banned him, and workers would refuse to serve him because of his race. Faustino was always compared to dogs, rodents, or other dehumanizing terms. People wanted to get rid of him like a homeowner would want to get rid of mice in their home, with that home being America. America was Faustino’s home too, so he always persevered through the hate. In this poem, I discuss Faustino’s experience as a minority in the U.S. Army, during the Cold War.
I used the line “But they see me as vermin and want me fried” as a reference to a book I read, called Maus, by Art Spiegelman. In the graphic novel, the Germans viewed Vladek and other Jews as vermin. This anti-Semitic view is a reason the Nazis found it justifiable to burn millions of Jews in crematories in concentration camps, from which Vladek remembered seeing and smelling the smoke. This related to Faustino because most white people saw him for his race and assumed he was useless and a nuisance, like a vermin. I used “Majors fabricating a job to drive trucks in hopes we would volunteer without any fuss” because Faustino experienced this specific incident while he was in the military. The majors were deceiving the Hispanics by fabricating a job that involved driving trucks but instead forced them to push giant wheel barrels. Also, Jews faced extreme manipulation when the Germans hauled them off to “camps.”
I relate to Faustino wanting others to see the real you, but I never was stereotyped for my race, since I am white. Faustino faced struggles I would never dream of facing because he is a different race than I am. My interview partner never saw himself as different and wanted others to see who he truly was. So, to portray that message I included the part about Faustino being proud of his culture and wanting people to know who he was as a person, not for the color of his skin.
