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“People are putting too much pressure on hip-hop to cure society’s ills. Hip-hop is an art form, and while it certainly gives youth both joy and hope—it’s not going to help them avoid crime unless it can present viable alternatives for income.”
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Thx HighJive! “Both built a career on storied Madison Ave. And both are blacks in a predominantly white industry, committed to attracting more minorities into the businesses and believe that retention is a crucial element in building a more diverse indust
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Thx HighJive! Rachel’s prediction is coming true: African immigrants are the new model minority. “black immigrants from Africa averaged the highest educational attainment of any population group in the country, including whites and Asians.”
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Ewwww. The New York Observer tries to get diverse. “we also need a name. What would it be? Desicrats? Macacarati? No! We are… the Bollypolitans! “A Bollypolitan elite is the newest creative class to kick into New York with art, fashion, literature,”
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Thx Latoya! “Before a neighborhood becomes the new hot place, before developers christen their creations and retailers and restaurateurs open their doors, there is an inevitable rite of passage, a transition, in which the past and future can be glimpsed a
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“interview with Yuri Kochiyama in February 2006, in which she recalls the circumstances surrounding her personal entrance into the political arena, what she witnessed when Malcolm X was assassinated, her first time meeting Malcolm, the political climate a
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Thx Latoya! “Many Millennials take it further: To us, differences in skin color are largely irrelevant. That’s not to say that young minorities never experience racial inequality. Prejudices still exist, and serious economic gaps still yawn between racial
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Thx James! “Sir Elton John’s Caribbean show may be cancelled over concerns he could tempt locals to become gay.”
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LOL! “Mitt Romney botches names of politicians…Also, John McCain gets stumped over condom question. Sorry for shattering all of your stereotypes of white people, but the world is filled with anomalies and we enjoy pointing them out.”
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“A couple weeks after AsianWeek printed the derogatory column “Why I Hate Black People” by Kenneth Eng, the weekly newspaper’s Emil Guillermo, wrote a piece reflecting on acts of Black on Asian violence and Black on Asian love.”
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Rob wrote:
I find the article titled “Black immigrants collect most degrees – Chicago Tribune” pretty interesting.
I’ve noticed that all across these anti-racism websites that Asian Americans being portrayed as the “model minority” was a bad thing but this article seems to play it up as a good thing. So, as long as Asian Americans are portrayed as being a “model,” it’s bad but when it happens to another, it’s good?
Additionally, I find that survey a little flawed. It was no taken across racial lines but rather a small segment within a particular racial group. Asian Americans incorporates all Asians including specific Asians that have lagged behind such as Vietnamese, Hmong, and Filipinos. What would the results be if they compared African immigrants to, say, Asian Indians, Korean, and Chinese?
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 8:46 am ¶
Sewere wrote:
Oh Rob, it is always a new day with you… You are aware that Africa is a continent not a country right? So to extend your criticism, would you like to compare Nigerians and Ghanaians to Koreans and Chinese? Other than showing the selective bias that allows only the best and the brightest to immigrate to the U.S what other purpose will this analysis will it really serve? Aside from comparing model minority ranking….
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 12:04 pm ¶
kim wrote:
Sewere: ” Other than showing the selective bias that allows only the best and the brightest to immigrate to the U.S what other purpose will this analysis will it really serve? Aside from comparing model minority ranking….”
I second that.
Hey, guys (my buds).
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 1:13 pm ¶
Rabia wrote:
I have to say the higher education survey (despite its faults) put a smile on my face. I have come acros a disturbing number of article and blog comments proclaiming that black people are somehow incapable of “success” (we’ll stick to traditional definitions of success for now); you know, the usual “why do black kids get lower test scores?” “why is Africa such a failure?” type stuff. It feels a leetle beet good to have some empirical evidence to the contrary, and underlining the importance of social context in ethnic/racial inequalities. On the other hand, I can see it fueling sentiment against African-Americans (”If the Africans can do it, why can’t they?”). Or most likely, people will just ignore this…
As for the model minority issue, I suspect that this stereotype is not yet as burdensome for African immigrants as it is for Asians, since the prevailing sterotypes about Blacks in general and Africans in particular are still overwhelmingly negative.
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 3:36 pm ¶
Sewere wrote:
Exactly, my concern is in what context is the information presented? This type of information is almost always used as an indictment against against African-Americans rather than the reality that Black folks are just as capable as anyone, especially when they are not raised in a racist society heaped full with barriers to achieving “success”.
And I would add that the prevailing stereotypes of blacks when it comes to academics and corporate employment is still negative (if you’re not one of the few articulate black, you’re definitely one of the affirmative action black)…
By the way Rabia, I would be careful if I were you, exposing complexities and fallacies of group success rates won’t get you a spot in the Model Minority games of the Oppression Olympics.
Sister Kim, I knew you were right beside me all the time.
Now if only we could get Merq to add his usual scathing satire.
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 4:15 pm ¶
Sewere wrote:
P.S: Y’all need to go read the Sylvia’s take on Yuri Kochiyama at antiessentialistspeaksup and the link to Kai’s post on the Hmong at zuky.net.
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 4:25 pm ¶
ren. wrote:
Just to point out, Page was talking about more than one survey in his article. The one you’re commenting about Rob, I agree, it’s a little flawed. Making “side-by-side” comparisons using census data without taking into account relative size differences between these two populations is going to give you skewered results. 10 people where 5 hold a degree is statistically higher than 10,000 people where 4,600 have a degree. But considering the difference between African Immigrants v. Asian Americans is 1.3%, give or take the 3-5% margin of error, it really isn’t data worth sifting through. I’m sure it could be made more specific, like who had Associate Degrees v. more advanced degrees, or education in relation to salary/position/rate of Promotion and so on. While that data would be interesting to look at, who cares who’s smarter? If America determines African Immigrants are smarter and deserve my model minority scepter, doesn’t affect me in the least. I’m not sure what kind of fanfare Page is expecting along with the crown of model minority. A few academics would claim invisibility IS the reward of model minority… not sure that’s what high-achieving and often overlooked African Immigrants are looking for.
Not sure why you’re so happy Rabia, this does not paint African Americans in the best light. In fact it splits the capabilities of African Americans and African Immigrants down the line, I find this article and another written in the Washington Post to be quite divisive. Angry sentiments aren’t going to be coming from white people directed at African American’s, it’s going to be from African Americans directed at African Immigrants. The complaints lodged at African Immigrants equate to nothing more than the muttering of house nigger under one’s breath except its done congenially.
“Are elite schools padding their racial diversity numbers with black immigrants who do not have a history of American slavery in their families?”
Are they actively seeking out African Immigrants to recruit, absolutely. Are they doing that under the guise of not wanting individuals with a slave legacy attached to them, I don’t know and neither does anyone else. Why does it matter? African Immigrant – African American, you’re not white… that’s the problem. At least that’s what matters to anyone who’s going to discriminate against you. You’re telling me that discrimination in the workplace is going to be based on the ancestral lineage you make to slaves or because your skin color is black? Do you think because these African Immigrants are immigrants, they don’t face similar discrimination based upon the color of their skin in the United States? Would racist whites years ago made the distinction that Black Immigrants don’t have to drink from Blacks Only fountain like African Americans? No, and the distinction still won’t be made in instances where discrimination becomes a factor. Is Page suggesting that American born children of African Immigrants will know nothing of discrimination and prejudice as they live their lives in America? Why do African Americans view them as so undeserving of benefits instituted to curtail discrimination?
Secondly this article (not so much) and the Washington Post article on the same subject creates an air of dislike toward African Immigrants, as if they are stealing seats away from African Americans. Take into consideration the data from this survey was of 28 most elite and selective universities, coupled with the fact that it evaluated 1,028 blacks of which 281 were African Immigrants. Because African Immigrants hold a high percentage of seats at elite universities doesn’t mean the majority of higher learning institutions in America are muscling out African Americans in favor of African Immigrants.
What really pisses me off are people like Guinier who makes these claims that white universities are “skirting long-held missions to resolve historic wrongs against native black Americans by enrolling immigrants who look like them.” She then goes on to discuss how unfair it is to judge these African Immigrant students by their standardized test scores since wealth (she assumes these individuals are wealthy by taking a generalized notion of immigrants) can afford preparation for such tests.
Guinier states:
“In part, it has to do with coming from a country, especially those educated in Caribbean and African countries, where blacks were in the majority and did not experience the stigma that black children did in the United States,” Guinier said. “The fathers of these students tend to be much better educated. This is not just true of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, this is true across the board. We have an admissions system that prefers wealth, that rewards wealth and calls it merit.”
I find that incredibly disrespectful, toward African Immigrants and anyone that attends “elite” schools to have this blanket assertion that puts your dedication and your achievements to question. What proof does Guinier have to claim Harvard rewards wealth and calls it merit in regards to the African Immigrants currently enrolled? Prove Harvard is intentionally neglecting African Americans in favor of African Immigrants. Show us the data of how many African Americans v. African Immigrants were granted admission and how many opted out for a different University. Show us the aggregate test scores of SAT, SATII, LSAT, GRE, and high school GPA of African Immigrants v. African Americans. No doubt you’d claim how standardized tests aren’t reliable so give us other factors. Give us the data of home ownership, parental divorce rate, zip code, the quality and ranking of their secondary school, total family income… prove African Immigrants that go to Harvard are wealthier than African Americans, and that their wealth directly translates to their getting accepted to Harvard. Examine the level of education of parents of African Immigrants enrolled at Harvard vs. African American parents. Give us something to work with, prove bias on the part of Harvard University. Don’t just make these stupid accusations that can ultimately prove divisive.
And before you turns this into a cry of meritocracy and attempt to devalue one’s own participation in their success, consider your own life. Considering Guinier wants to stir up controversy on an issue where she herself, as a child of a biracial couple (was she passable?), of a father who immigrated from Jamaica (no slave history), who attended Radcliffe (Harvard) on a full scholarship (elitist) while her father was a professor (should we be suspicious that he was hired in as a full professor? Was it nepotism? Was it preferential treatment for him/her/both?). Does she “deserve” what she has? I’m sure if we examined Guinier’s life we could come up with some pretty harsh claims and cast suspicion on all of her achievements. Frankly, I find it none of my f-n business, I don’t second guess her position as a highly respected law professor. But nothing really annoys me like an elitist attempting to shine the light on crimes of the supposed elite. I’m sure she’d claim her own superior will and intellect got her enrolled at Radcliffe and Yale and an esteemed position at Harvard. It’s everyone else who unfairly utilizes the system.
I have the utmost respect for African Immigrants and it comes as no surprise to me how academically successful they are. I don’t find it surprising that African Immigrants who have had to bust their ass getting through U.S. Immigration aren’t inclined to be or have kids that are utter fuckups. What I don’t want to see is African Americans holding a grudge against African Immigrants turning it into an in-group/out-group all because of one statistical study of a handful of African Immigrants in regards to a university where 99.9% of the population is unfairly denied admittance.
Posted 20 Mar 2007 at 6:24 pm ¶
Rob wrote:
The purpose of my post was to point out that this study on Africans being somehow “better” than African Americans, or at least what I garnered from the article’s attitude, is flawed. They’re attempting to compare the “best and brightest” of Africa against Asian Americans, which include Asian groups that don’t fall under what we call “model minorities.”
Apart from your condescending attitude, Sewere, I’m fully aware of Africa being comprised of different countries. What I wanted to point out is the somewhat hypocritical tone of the anti-racism community that “positive” stereotypes aren’t actually abhorred equally.
In this case, since it hasn’t become burdensome, the stereotype of being hardworking and successful isn’t that bad? At least, it’s not for African immigrants. It sounds like some people in the anti-racism community want their cake and eat it too. Until stereotypes become burdensome, then it’s considered a problem? I get the feeling from more and more people that minorities just want to do away with their “negative” stereotypes but keep the “positive” ones.
Posted 21 Mar 2007 at 8:25 am ¶
eric daniels wrote:
I was reading the article by Justin Britt- Gibson and I don’t where to start, but if his Millennials think that racism is no big deal anymore wow are they naive. First I hate that word “People of Color” because even Minorities have different politcal and moral agendas, like Chuck D in fight the power “wer’e not the same because we don’t know the game”.
Articles like this makes dealing with the reality that racism more problematic because the concept of race has a historical and politcal basis that morphs into something totally different through the generations. Being a history buff, Americans have no sense of what came before and why actions have consquences, Gibson’s whole article reeks of his naviete on issues of race in this country. America is the a story in five parts when it comes to Afro- Americans and our place in it.
1. Indentured servitude
2. Slavery
3. Reconstruction/Jim Crow
4. Civil Rights/ Post Civil Rights
5. Multiculturism/ Technology
Failure to understand them is why we keep making the same mistakes in dealing with race in this country . Gibson obviously grew up in a progressive politcial and social enviroment which is not the majority of Americans of any racial group, and for him to simpisticly make the arugment that the Millennials are the future from romance to musical taste is the same argument I heard in the 80’s and 90’s.
I am begining to think that Biracial people are as clueless and arrogant as whites when it comes to the history of Afro- Americans in this country. If Gibson and his friends/lovers are the ‘New Americans’ then we as black people have more to fear from them than the most racist Aryan white spokesman because we don’t with the Klan or Aryan Brotherhood (unless you watch FOX News) It’s the igorant good intentions of people like Gibson who thinks because he is mixed somehow he and generation have evolved when it’s not personal attitudes that drive the concept of ‘race’ it’s the political and social constructs built into a given society that drives it’s attirudes on race.
I think Gibson is sadly mistaken as to America’s evolution on racial issues, groups have always had sexual relationships/friendships throughout America’s history. It is the economic, social and politcal constructs that creates a Katrina and Sean Bells of the world, not some mixed kid who has friends all over the planet.
Posted 21 Mar 2007 at 1:45 pm ¶
Angel H. wrote:
Re: Millenials
And I never want my age group to be referred as such ever again… Blecch!
I agreed with much of the first part of his article because I thought that we shared a common ground. I was raised in sheltered, predominately-white neighborhoods and had friends who were white, asian, latino, and black. It was no big deal for us. My personal hobbies and interests go beyond hip-hop and into alternative, rock, anime, and scifi, to their point where my “blackness” was questioned by other classmates.
Even though my parents encouraged me to pursue my interests, they always taught me about my history and the history of the ones who came before me. They also taught me to be wary because history has a way of repeating itself.
Britt-Gibson reminds me of that South Park episode where Kyle and his family moved to a neighborhood where everyone was so full of themselves that they liked the smell of their own farts.
So he’s got a white girlfriend? Whoop-de-freakin’-doo!
Just be sure you have a solid alibi in case she decides to take the long way home without telling anybody.
Posted 21 Mar 2007 at 4:19 pm ¶