Racism in my building
Just a short note of a post today.
I live in a condo building (I’m renting from the person who owns my condo). They posted a notice on the bulletin board, and in the elevators and stairwells the other day. Something the the effect of:
“Damien is in the house!
If you notice a big tall dude with dreadlocks hanging around the building, that’s Damien. He’s a new addition to our cleaning service…”
Dot dot dot, etc.
First of all, if was a woman of any color, or a White or Hispanic man, there wouldn’t have been a notice (we haven’t had them for anyone else), because women are expected to be cleaning, as are Hispanic men, and White men aren’t scary, or anything, right? It’s operating under the assumption that people would panic if there was a Black man in the building that they didn’t know about.
Secondly, saying “Hey residents, if you notice a new guy on premises, he’s part of our cleaning crew” that would have been fine. But really, “Damien is in the house” and “a big tall dude” - the HOA members are all White people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. None of them talk like that on a regular basis.
Just like I get offended when people say that men can’t be feminists, because they’re “part of the problem,” I get pissed off when people say that White people can’t be allies to people of color, because we’re “part of the problem.”
I’m White. Eastern European deathly chicken white pale, to be exact. And I am noticing this, which smacks of non-intentional, but still racism. And I’m saying something about it. And doing something about it.
We need to think about our assumptions, and our language. I know I have stereotypes of certain things drilled into me as well. No one, myself included, is perfect. But we need to examine ourselves, and see where our assumptions, judgements and stereotypes are coming from.
That is all.
End of your PSA.
-Essin’ Em
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From a purely practical point of view, I can totally understand them letting their residents know that the new janitor is an enormous black chap – but I honestly do think it’s the ‘chap’ part rather than the color. What if, hypothetically, the new janitor was a 6’5″, 250lb white man with a shaved head, tattoos and a ginger goatee? I think the residents would still appreciate a head’s up.
Possibly not such a cryptic one.
Grrrr! this post just highlights what i go through and see every single day. I’m a 24-year-old, Black female law student, and I find it totally insulting for anyone to call me, Barak Obama, Colin Powell, or any other educated person of color “articulate.” The problem is the same as with the notice on your bulletin board. The expectation is that Black people generally (especially Black men) are uneducated, intimidating, and dangerous. I’m sooo glad you noticed the implicit racism of “Damien is in the house!” Black people don’t need to hear Ebonics (or be associated with it) to be comfortable. It’s condescending and infuriorating. Thanks for putting this on your blog, and please tell your Caucasian friends to treat Black people like all other human beings. We aren’t alien life forms, and a Black guy with dredlocks on the janitorial staff is not a cause for concern worthy of a bulletin board notice.