"I Do See Color" weekly newsletter: November 17, 2022
Weekly newsletter 7: Combination of race- and culture-related posts from "We Need to Talk," "I Do See Color," "BlackTechLogy" and "Window Shopping"
Welcome to the “I Do See Color” newsletter (with a bonus section of two first-person interviews called “Deuces”).
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Now let’s get into the weekly newsletter!
Each week, eight* carefully selected posts will be chosen, which focus on culture, politics, health and race from a black (wo)man’s perspective.
NEW! 1. The art of storytelling … and the accidental racism in the tale too ~ Why it’s a good idea to tell your story in a diverse crowd
I told the gas station tale at a storytelling event a couple of years ago. Everybody in the crowd laughed and applauded but one Asian guy in the corner. He had a funny look on his face, somewhere between annoyed and sad. Even though the crowd loved the story, his facial expression stayed with me. It wasn’t until later that night — and a brief conversation with him where I watched his tone change — that I realized why he was so offended by my story. (He never admitted it openly.)
2. Do black pet owners live longer than black non-pet owners? ~ Why I chose to participate in the Dog Aging Project
Answering a two-hour questionnaire divided into 11 sections wasn’t exactly the most exciting way to start my morning. However, the Dog Aging Project caught my attention from a Science Daily post and I wanted in! I miss my first two dogs who passed away. I had one dog for 13 years. With him, I knew the news would come sooner or later. The life spans of Labrador Retrievers (10 to 12 years) and German Shepherds (seven to 10 years) are widely documented—although the aging process starts to slow to five-year increments for larger dogs. However, someone telling you how long a dog will live still doesn’t make you anymore prepared for it actually happening. He was clearly aging; she was not. He died of old age; she died of cancer and no one knew she had it. I know that’s why her death hit me harder.
3. PODCAST: Rich black men, politics and ‘hostage’ votes ~ Will famous black men speaking out against presidential candidate Joe Biden help Trump win?
Everyone has a right to their opinion, and all black people unanimously liking and voting for presidential candidate Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris may be unrealistic. However, a curious amount of well-to-do African-American men are either supporting Trump, anti-Biden or dismissing voting altogether.
4. His response to Beyonce and TLC tells you what he thinks of women ~ Your music playlist can help reveal his stance on feminism
When the bass dropped for a hip-hop song, he and I two-stepped to the floor, ready to get it in. We’d danced the night away at my brother’s wedding, so I already knew he could be my dancing partner. But less than a couple minutes after the initial song went off, TLC’s “No Scrubs” blasted. Women and girls flocked to the floor to recite the song word-for-word. I watched the scowl cross his face as he said, “I’m outta here. I hate this song.”
5. Meeting ‘others’: The other reason to go to college ~ Multiculturalism is the extra credit in your tuition rates
The psychology instructor asked the lecture hall students to speak up about a point he’d made in his presentation. I looked around at more than 80 or so students who were taking way too long to respond to his question, and my arm shot up. I rattled off a bunch of statistics on what he’d written in his PowerPoint presentation, challenging one of his points.
“You’d have to be blind not to see that,” I added at the end.
Then I heard the gasps.
6. He brought a bat to a gunfight ~ Two lessons I learned from black fathers
He sped up in front of the school and jumped out of his car. When he popped open his trunk, I wasn’t sure what was going to come out. I was first confused and then disappointed to see a baseball bat. The poor man didn’t know what he was up against. He ran past all the children standing outside in front of our school, with eyes focused on the entrance door, and we parted immediately — knowing we better not get in his way. I knew who he was, and I knew why he was there. I just didn’t understand the bat, considering who else was inside.
7. Funniest moments with my 100-year-old great great aunt ~ Not every comedian is standing onstage
Thanksgiving is coming, and we know she’ll be there. It’s the same house guest who comes to every holiday event, birthday party, baby shower and family reunion. She’s the lady who examines all the food on the table and demands to know who cooked what because she only eats food cooked a certain way. She rarely if ever brings a dish, and when she does, it’s just never all it’s cracked up to be. But she damn sure better like your food or you’ll hear all about it.
8. Why I filter new friends in this tense political world ~ The one thing Drake should’ve said about 'no new friends'
When the 2016 Election results rolled around, I was not surprised. I cried on my couch, but I was not shocked at the results. Those tears were from disappointment. I’d already dealt with two years of a disturbing college experience and plenty of frustrating experiences in Corporate America. By 2008, I’d started treating new friends the way new employers treat your job applications: I filter them out.
“Deuces” ~ “I Do See Color” newsletter’s bonus interviews:
1. Teacher, CEO Advocates Arts Education In Chicago
Art teachers who were rescued from layoffs aren't always spread out enough for students from diverse neighborhoods to utilize, according to the Chicago Sun Times. Even with 94% of CPS schools retaining art teachers, the majority of them are located on the north and northwest sides of the city.
Art instructor Shakila Grigler Stewart shares the bigger benefit for why all students need to be able to have an opportunity to learn through creative arts courses.
Note: This interview is from 2014, and I’m happy to see her still doing her thing in 2022. Click here to visit her website.
2. Lifting the veil
She turns the doorknob, inhales deeply, and exhales slowly. She’s preparing herself for the stares and mutters as she walks out into the sunlight. Whether the comments are intentionally meant to be heard or not, she’s perfected the art of selective hearing. Onlookers will assume her politics, what her family or friends are like, how her upbringing was, and even the behavior in her marriage—simply because she dared to come outside in traditional hijab attire.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote,” “Tickled,” “We Need To Talk” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the weekly posts every Wednesday.
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