Being a Woman of Color in a White Environment

Disclaimer: This article is not targeted towards my university. This is simply my experience and observations regarding institutions across the country, whether that be universities, corporations, organizations, or places of worship. Rather than taking a defensive position, the individuals who form part of these establishments should seek to do some self-reflection and initiate transparent and honest conversations on how to tackle any discriminatory policies and behaviors present.

Being born in the US and living here for several years now, the normalization of racism is something I see daily. I also grew up witnessing colorism in Latin America. My father is from Colombia, my mother is from Guatemala, and I grew up in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Despite these countries literally having a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) majority, the claiming of White European ancestry is praised, whereas Black and Indigenous ancestry is looked down on.

I go to a private liberal arts college, I am in a sorority, my major is Political Science while taking the Pre-Law track and I actively go to church in the South. The previously mentioned areas of my life, are known to have predominantly White influence. I will say I have met students, faculty and staff from White and minority backgrounds who are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every single university professor I have encountered, has incorporated the struggle of racial inequality in their course, regardless of what field or department that course belongs to. On the other hand, I have met many people, more often White people, in different organizations on campus and social settings, that do not wish to confront or acknowledge the issues that minorities face on campus. They will use the following words: “Why do you people have to make everything about race?”

Discrimination and racial bias continues when we do not hold institutions and organizations accountable. It continues when we say we are diverse when we are clearly not. We have to understand, the standards of diversity for White people and POC (People of Color), are so different. Establishments will have a couple of POC out of hundreds or even thousands of White individuals, and call it a day. Minorities will be shown all over platforms, so they can appear “woke” and “diverse” yet they will not be promoted in the work setting unlike their White colleagues. If they are promoted, their skills and accomplishments will be reduced to: “You only got promoted because of your race.”

In college social settings all over the country, those same students of color who were displayed on every platform, will be left out in pregames and on nights out, even when the student body and organizations on campus pride themselves on inclusion. Another problem, is that the pictures and videos that portray minorities, often come with some guidelines. In the case of women of color for example, they will usually have heat-styled hair and you bet there are rules to heat style their hair in any event deemed important, because somewhere along the way, that has been associated with looking “put together.” I feel as if I am growing up in the Dominican Republic all over again, where the concept of pelo malo (bad hair) is deeply ingrained in people’s heads, but that is a conversation for another day. Lastly, when recruiting employees and students of color, they will be paired with the few token minorities in that environment, it feels strategic, not in a good way though.

When it comes to the racism I have experienced, it usually is not this big scene, rather it is very subtle. It is thrown in there very casually with microaggressions and careless statements, that are expected to be brushed off. “You probably got in because they wanted to diversify.” “How come your English is good?” “You were born in the US? No, but where are you ‘from from’?”

Everyone wants to “learn and understand” and they “stand with us” but when we express our concerns, we are dismissed by claims that there is already enough diversity, that we do not need to be known for diversity or we are “pulling the race card.” I have the feeling that many people that come across this article might have racist attitudes which they have not come to acknowledge, so they may feel very offended by this piece. Well, if the shoe fits, wear it. But if you actively work to dismantle racist notions you have been brought up with and use your privilege to uplift the voices of POC, then you know this is not applicable to you.

• culture
• diversity
• latino
• race