Ronelda Kamfer tells her readers “Where I stand”, but this poet’s experience is not exclusive to the literary world, for many women of color in professional settings struggle similarly. The under representation, of women of color specifically in many professional fields causes feelings of invisibility. Once in the field, white coworkers and supervisors belittle and/or discriminate. With this comes mixed emotions of anger forcibly hidden by politeness and uncomfortableness with a nervous, sinking sensation. The conflict women of color face can be represented in Kamfer’s poem “Where I stand” through the exemplification of racial discrimination, gender imbalance, and projected stereotypes.
In a close reading of Kamfer’s poem, the spare language used in the first three lines evokes emotions that women of color experience in the work place before a word is spoken. As mentioned in her essay, Kamfer writes “Where I stand” in response to her constant struggle of being the token person of color at poetry events and festivals. The first line, “I’m sitting at table now” (Kamfer) holds significance for how the rest of the poem
will go. The importance of the singular “I” reveals how this token-ness forces her to stand alone, not only as a person of color, but as a woman as well. On a different note, the grammatical incorrectness already showcases her “difference” among her white colleagues. As Kamfer grew up in Grabuow, South Africa, the presumed stereotype is that English could never be her first language. African women are seen as exotic through white persons’ eyes. Not able to share similarities with the white professionals at the table. Before even saying hello, there are racial and gender presumptions made, not only about Kamfer, but many other women of color at the conference tables among multiple professional fields for generations. She continues, “with my forefather’s enemies” (Kamfer), this line brings attention to the history of racism brought upon generations of white people. This, once again, bring emphasis to Kamfer, and other women of color, being the “other”. This all before she even says a word in the poem. However, once Kamfer, “nod[s] and say[s] hello” the reader has already been made aware of the division made in the room simply for being a woman of color. It is common to appear polite and friendly as to not bring upon stereotypes of “the angry black woman” even though, as Kamfer stated, those that occupy the room are, “my forefather’s enemies”.
Continuing the close reading, Kamfer displays a tone shift that reflects a sentiment women of color share due to the belittlement, discrimination, and invisibility found in the professional setting. On the fourth line of the poem a singular, “but” (Kamfer) plays an important role in this tone shift. There reveals an emphasis on the internal struggle that masks itself through these polite greetings. This internal struggle, “deep inside me somewhere” (Kamfer) that must stay deep down, especially in work environments, for any display of emotion as anger, nervousness, etc. will cause the white coworkers to label women of color as inferior. As Kamfer writes in her essay, “I was the token Coloured… [reminding] white people that they were inclusive and not racist” (3). That for women of color, stepping anywhere outside of the box for the diversity quota is unacceptable. So, she ends the stanza with, “I know where I stand” (Kamfer). That from the moment Kamfer enters the room she knows where she stands for in the eyes of her white colleagues, she stands as simply a token. For many of women of color, standing alone in the work place as the only Black, Latina, Asian, etc. woman, there is already a barrier.
In the next stanza, the tone shifts again, from distant to friendly, however, there reveals an underlying intention in one of the most crucial lines of the poem. The second stanza begins with, “My heart and head are open” (Kamfer). This shift from anger and inferiority transform into openness. This demonstrates the beginning of a community. The most significant aspect of this line is how she leads with her “heart”. Since the poem centers so much around emotion, for a woman of color to open up her heart in this professional setting reveals how significant displays of emotion can be. As described before, women of color are forced to hide emotion in the work space, so this adds to the importance of this tone shift. In the next line Kamfer writes, “and we laugh and eat together”. Enjoying one another’s company with food is a significant part of any culture and to part take in such ritual shows that an individual participates in community building. Once again, women of color do not forget the emotion and struggle experienced from the first stanza, and to participate in community building shows trust in the people of her professional setting. This next line reveals a crucial point in the poem, “like well-brought-up folks” (Kamfer). The indication that to have connections and participate in this community means to have an upbringing approved by these white coworkers. That this statement mirrors comments made by white people such as, “You are pretty _____ for a black girl”. Where the blank indicates some adjective used to describe white people or superior characteristics “uncommon” among people of color. That to be integrated or accepted in the professional world women of color, such as Kamfer, must display characteristics that negate the initial stereotypes made that are exemplified in the beginning of the poem. And so, Kamfer ends the poem with the same last three lines from the first stanza. This emphasizes that in the eyes of the white colleagues, women of color will be seen as “other” to belittle, discriminate, and force to remain invisible.
Ronelda Kamfer displays various, strong emotions through the minimalist poem “Where I stand”. From internal anger to external politeness, Kamfer describes the same struggles of women of color in any professional field dominated by white people. The racial and gender imbalance leaves women alone at the table. Then women of color have to juggle these projected stereotypes from white coworkers and supervisors. Despite whatever emotions women of color have, they remain internal as to not fall into the same stereotypes that white people wish to prove true so that they feel inferior. Kamfer’s poem “Where I stand” shows the belittlement, discrimination, and invisibility women of color face in the professional world by simply describing her own experiences.
Work Cited
Kamfer, Ronelda. “WHERE I Stand .” Homepage of Poetryinternationalweb.net, 2008, www.poetryinternational.org/pi/poem/30413/auto/0/0/Ronelda-Kamfer/WHERE-I-STAND/en/tile.
Kamfer, Ronelda. “Essay.” Unpublished Manuscript.