Why I Chose to Attend a Historically Black College- as a White Person
“For the first time I was asked for a “white person’s” opinion in class <-Alyssa Paddock, a junior at my alma mater, Howard University. Via TheRoot.com / Washington Post
Why I Chose to Attend a Historically Black College- as a White Person
By Alyssa Paddock
When I was a senior in high school and started considering where I wanted to go to college, racial demographics were never a factor for me. I ended up at Howard University where the majority of students are black and I am among a small minority of white students. More here.
I never know what to say or think when my father talks to me about his experiences working at a historically black college.
I usually end up feeling pretty hurt, since he’s been the recipient of a lot of internalized racism from other POC, even though he is also denied a lot of the same privileges since he is a dark-skinned Latin American immigrant.
Like how his black superiors have told him straight to his face that he will never become an administrator/higher-up despite being head of the engineering department and teaching there for 40+ years because he is not black. (Tbh I’m not 100% sure if this is because of internalized racism, or if its just how the collegiate system works and its out of the administrator’s hands, anyone who can fill me in on this give a heads up!)
Or when a fellow colleague of his (also a POC, of Middle Eastern descent) continued to treat him poorly because he didn’t receive a promotion since they decided to give it to my father instead, and only began talking to him like a human being again because my father helped save his life after he had a stroke in his office.
And I understand that most of this hate is pretty valid, but at the same time I’m not going to deny that I wish that fellow POC didn’t hate on each other so much.
Like, I understand that nobody’s experiences are the same and its wrong to assume so, but I’m sure we have a lot more in common with each other than non-POC… right?
There are days like these
that make me love my HBCU. We had the perfect weather today, 72 degrees, sun shining, birds-a-chirping. Everyone on the yard talking, laughing, playing football, smoking, drinking. Being care-free no drama. Bitches weren’t scrapping, niggas weren’t fighting. It was just lovely! I was with my girls acting a fool as usual, joking and laughing at everything and everyone. Just me re-examining my day right now makes me smile. Its crazy. Earlier towards the end before our usual crazy nights start, I sat back and thought “Life is too good right now. And I mean too good that it frightens me. When things are going well, something is bound to go wrong.” But I later pushed that frightening thought out of my head and continued chilling with my girls. And also, days like these make me LOVE the South! The environment, the southern hospitality is just so warming! I honestly can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I’m proud to say that I am a down south Georgia Girl! And I ABSOLUTELY love my school TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY!!
