From a young age, I’ve always felt “othered” in East Lansing because of my name and its Yoruba origin. If you look at my byline, you can see that it’s a mouthful. I never judge people for mispronouncing my name, but I don’t like it when people purposefully say gibberish or add clicks to my name which does not correlate with any Nigerian language because they think it’s funny. It’s not.
Others make jokes about my hair or touch it without asking. I can’t imagine why people think that comparing my hair to a circus clown or throwing garbage in my afro would be funny, but it still happens.
I’m not sharing these realities of my life to garner pity; I don’t want it. People need to recognize the discrimination that happens here, and everywhere, without brushing off these offenses as harmless quips.
Racism in East Lansing often takes the form of “harmless jokes.” I put that in quotes because they aren’t really jokes — they’re mockeries. Jokes that hurt others are not ones that should be told.
It may seem like I’m being sensitive or that it’s “not that deep,” but it is 100 percent that deep. We aren’t here to be the punchline of someone’s unfunny, derogatory joke. There are so many funny things to be said that are not at the expense of someone’s dignity.
These jokes constantly cross the line of what’s funny and what’s offensive.
The most common ones I hear are comments like “the usual suspects” and “well, well, well.” Such comments can be found under videos of them eating watermelon or news stories about a Black man caught stealing, which prompt the racist trolls to send them. Among these trolls are people who go to this school, liking those comments or even adding to them.
It’s easier to be racist behind a screen where the chances of direct consequences deplete significantly, but racists have been getting bold, and I don’t see enough people calling it out. Blatant racism is harmful whether it’s spoken out loud or typed behind a phone screen.
I’m aware that East Lansing is more diverse than the surrounding areas, but just because the population of Black people is higher doesn’t mean that it’s a safe haven. There are plenty of bigoted people everywhere in the world, and East Lansing is not excluded from that fact.
Whether it’s willful ignorance or pure hatred emboldening racists, it needs to be called out, instead of just exchanging awkward glances with your friends. If you are in a position to speak out against racism, do it. And if you are smart enough to think before you speak, consider if what you are about to say does more harm than it does good.
