Diversity in Blackness refers to the various groups of Black people that we see in our society today. This Let's Talk seminar will be focussed on learning about different Black cultures and the experiences that students have undergone as a result of not conforming to the "black stereotype" placed on them by society. The following is an excerpt from https://gabriellewrren.medium.com/complexity-diversity-of-blackness-bc3ca2c33fa2 by Gabrielle Warren. Please read and come prepared to discuss.
"You know what bothers me? It bothers me that when someone sees you are black, they assume that you are the same as every black person. I hate that. I dislike the fact that if you talk like you’re from the suburbs and dress like an indie kid, people call you an Oreo. They say you’re not black enough and if you talk with slang, you’re too black. What constitutes that I am black? Is it the way I talk or the people I associate with? Or is it my parentage and ancestry? This seems to have been confused.
Black people are diverse. When you look at a Caribbean person, an African person, or a North American black person, there is huge differences. Within the Caribbean group there are different islands, within the African group there are different countries, dialects, and tribes, and within the North American group there are differences in culture, perceptions, and style. Beyond that, black people within Europe have even more complexities and differences. Not only are we from different places, but we speak different languages, live in different cultures, and interact with one another in different ways. It’s a beautiful thing. This is the reason why when a person comes to me and says I am either too black or not black enough, I get upset. To be black is to be diverse, so how can you place me in a blanket category?
