Striving For More Doesn’t Mean That You Think You Are Better

Wisconsin, to this day, is one of the most segregated states in America. There are clear racial gridlines between the inner city of Milwaukee and the suburbs. In 1975, lawmakers established a program titled Chapter 220 after a federal judge found that the Milwaukee school district was intentionally segregating schools.  Chapter 220 bused black city students from Milwaukee to attend suburban schools, and suburban students to attend city specialty schools. Specialty inner-city school programs were created to draw white students to the Milwaukee school district. However, Milwaukee public schools' white population was quickly falling, from 60 percent in 1975 to 36 percent no later than ten years after.  In 1984, Milwaukee Public School district sued 24 suburban communities over their resistance to integration. One of the lead attorneys in the case stated, "In each suburb, there had been actions by planning councils, by zoning boards, racially restrictive covenants saying African Americans couldn't live there, and other types of actions that kept African Americans out." The lawsuit resulted in a settlement that expanded the voluntary Chapter 220 program from 12 suburbs to 23, opening more seats for students of color to attend well rounded schools in white neighborhoods. I was born and raised in one of these white suburbs.   

Elementary through high school, I attended predominantly white schools in the suburbs of Wisconsin. I naturally became familiar with my environment. The majority of my friends were typically white. Through the Chapter 220 program, as I advanced through the suburban school district, I began developing friendships with black kids. Segregation was so prevalent within the school district I always felt an internal battle between having to spend time with my white friends or deciding to spend time with my black friends. You could never get this right as a kid because you were either spending too much time with your white friends or not enough time with your black friends.

Growing up, I remember a handful of kids labeling me as an "oreo," black on the outside and white on the inside. If I spent too much time with my white friends and not enough time with my black friends, I was accused of "code-switching" or "acting white" by my black peers and even "acting black" by my white peers, as if I wasn't indeed a black boy. I have never wanted to be white. I was taught early the significance of being black. Even when we had nothing financially as a family, my mom still held her head high and carried herself with a strong sense of pride. We lived in the suburbs in a two bedroom apartment with three kids and one adult, and my mom believed it was the best opportunity for her kids to have a chance in life. I never had my own bedroom until I went away to college.

 No matter where we were from a financial standpoint, education was pushed on me by my mom and served as a significant motivator for my sisters. Both of my sisters took school seriously. I believe they saw it as a way out of poverty, similar to my thought process. My sisters also always spoke proper English, and they would correct me if I ever misspoke. Watching my sisters grow up, I felt like they demanded respect from their peers and adults. They carried themselves like professionals early, and this was something that I idolized. I wanted to be taken seriously, so I latched on to the advice that they would give me, especially when it revolved around speaking. My oldest sister, Akenke, would break curfew and talk herself out of any situation because she was eloquent with her words and balanced with her diction. People latched onto my sister Kia's words because she was kind but also direct with her approach. So being called an "oreo" because of how I spoke properly or deciding to hang out with my white friends had nothing to do with wanting to be white.

I never wanted to be white. I wanted to be intellectual and respected. I appreciated the time and work that my sisters put into their education and put behind their words. Words are powerful, and to appropriately get my point across, I knew that I needed to learn accurate diction and to be calculated with the words that I put out into the world. I knew that I wanted out of poverty. I knew that I wanted more from life, so I mimicked my sisters, not my white peers, but my sisters who were naturally leading with their actions and words.

I believe the majority of people on this planet have ambition. I am not saying every human is the most driven person because we all know people who put little to no effort behind their work. On the other hand, we also know those who hustle and lay it all on the line. I decided early in childhood that I would not remain poor for the duration of my life. I was 10 when I proactively decided that I wanted a better lifestyle and the same opportunities that my white peers were given by their parents and the educational system.  To this day, I don't feel like I've "made it in America." I am still hustling every day to add value to my career and India's as well. I know how hard my grandparents worked to give our family a chance at making it in America.  

My grandfather was 92 when he passed. At one point, he picked cotton as a job in this country. My grandfather picked cotton as a free man in this country. Pause, then re-read that sentence again. My grandfather… picked cotton as a free man in this country.  Now is that truly free? My grandfather was a medic in World War II, which means he laid his life on the line to save others.  He came back to America after the war, and still did not have the same opportunities as his white peers.  Learning his stories motivated me to the highest degree.  I must uphold the legacy of a man who fought for this country, served as a medic in the war, and still had to pick cotton as a free man to provide for his family. A segregated school district and simple words like "oreo," "acting white," or "acting black" could never stop me.

So, I did what I had to do and worked at my education. I practiced learning and utilizing accurate diction to fight my way out of poverty and earn a seat at the table within corporate America. I wanted and still want more out of life, but in doing so, I don't believe I am better than anyone or trying to "act white." I am chasing my dreams and striving to build a legacy so my kids will hopefully never face the same challenges I endured. Let's continue to teach our kids that it is okay to be ambitious, it’s okay to be driven, and it’s okay to speak proper English. These items don't add up to black kids trying to "act white." They add up to black kids wanting to strive for more.