“Adolescence is typically a period when young people become more detached from their parents and attempt to establish an independent identity. For racial minorities, adolescence is also a period when young people begin to solidify their understanding of their racial identities. For many, understanding the significance of race means recognizing that membership within a racial category requires certain social and political commitments. Adolescence is often a difficult and painful period for many young people. However for young people struggling to figure out the meaning and significance of their racial identities, the experience can be even more difficult. Awareness of race and the significance of racial difference often begin in early childhood. We know from psychological research that the development of racial identity is very context-dependent, especially in the early years. Children who attend racially diverse schools or reside in racially diverse communities are much more likely to become aware of race at an earlier age than children in more homogenous (1) settings.”
Noguera, P. A., Sadowski, M., Fowler-Finn, T., & Tatum, B. D. (2008). Joaquin’s Dilemma. In M. Sadowski (Ed.), Adolescents at School: Perspectives on Youth, Identity, and Education
I remember the first time I became cognizant of my skin color. I was at a local daycare that hosted a diverse demographic, when my 4 year-old self curiously walked up to a playmate and asked why she looked like chocolate ice cream (my favorite) instead of vanilla. A teacher immediately cut the conversation short, and I was sent home with a note informing my parents of my “controversial remarks.” That was when I was first racially socialized and encouraged to be “colorblind” (scolded to never again mention racial differences), an ignorant trend perpetuated throughout my suburban public education.
Ignorantly, I never gave much thought toward the racial interactions of my education until reading “Joaquin’s Dilemma.” Did I get a quality education at my small, predominantly middle class Long Island public high school? Absolutely. That’s really all that mattered to me, and I’m pretty angry with myself for being oblivious to the lack of racial integration at my school. Did we have diversity? Some complained about the fact that we did, given the heavy influx of Hispanics moving to our town. “They bring down the test scores,” some would whine, “They ruin our school’s reputation…they ruin this town.” I never protested, because quite frankly, I didn’t care, but after reading Noguera, I feel empathy for this misunderstood group, as they were trying to assimilate, get an education, and form identities in an environment that wasn’t welcoming.
I think it’s crucial to note that this encouragement to perpetuate colorblindness was damaging to the assimilation, education, and establishment of identity for all races in my high school; it’s just as important for white children to develop a healthy perspective of racial differences and inequities in order to debunk stereotypes. Engaging in racial socialization at a young age, for any race, is healthy because it allows us to truly see, and not be blind; thus, we’re accountable for naming the political significance and oppressed (or oppressive) history of our respected race, and preventatively, we won’t fall into the trap of upholding racial typecasts that are engrained in American culture.
If, perhaps, we weren’t encouraged to be colorblind, then maybe we’d be more welcoming. Maybe if we were honest and allowed ourselves to see race, we’d have known that these aforementioned complaints were completely rooted in inaccuracy. Perhaps if teachers allowed themselves to see Hispanic students for what they were, then they could incorporate a new canon of texts into the curriculum to engage us all as equals, rather than forcing Hispanic students to conform to an unequal, outdated education centered upon “White Values.” As a white student, I’d rather read Junot Díaz than Chaucer any day, and I think his accessibility spans far beyond the “classics,” in both language and engagement. Yes, I’m disappointed in myself for being blind for so long, but I think since I can now see, I will urge my students to name.
I think it’s interesting that this desire to be “color blind” as you put it, comes from what we may think is a “good” place. Teachers may be trying to avoid the classroom of any talk that might have racial undertones (like the black and white ice cream flavors) when they don’t realize they what they are doing may be having the opposite affect. As many of the readings this week put it, children may have certain views in regards to race but don’t know why they have those views or what they mean exactly. But already knowing that it’s bad to recognize “black” and “white” lets students associate racial differences with something that is not to be talked about because it’s bad. I agree that I think educators should try to positively address these differences instead of pretending that they don’t exist, because they absolutely do. And they probably always will. But how we deal with those differences can make all of the difference.
“Color blind.”
I love what your talking about because people of all races, ethnicities, colors, try to be “color blind;” thinking that ignoring the facts about race and ethnicity is the right thing to do. I believe that there are many outdated classrooms that are homes to outdated teachers that can not relate to the new generation of students.
“Chaucer vs. Diaz”
The relatability of literature to the demographic of students within a classroom is extremely important. As educators, it is important that we teach our students. Every year we will most likley have different students. This means that every year our curriculum, and methods of teaching must change depending on who is sitting at the desks in our classrooms. Chaucer is cool. Diaz is cool too. The question is “when do we introduce these authors? How do we introduce them? and to who do we introduce these authors and their literature?
This is such a vulnerable post, Diana. Thank you for sharing this, and I’m excited that the readings in this class are encouraging you toward self-reflection as well as knowledge. I also appreciated your comments, Mariya and Nate. Great conversation.