One thing that has bothered me about some reactions to recent events is seeing the people that keep saying, “I only see one race” “I am color blind” “ I don’t see black and white”… Stop that shit… It’s disrespectful, entitled, and continues the perpetuation of White Washing… Race is very much a thing that, mainly white people need to discuss more. It’s an issue that I see many run from, with such responses, once confronted with. If you continue to keep “not seeing color” you lose out on the distinct and unique factors that make us individuals and create cultures. It prevents you from seeing the real issues affecting people for what they really are. My introduction to black culture comes through music and the exploration of the experience that led to the creation of so many genres I hold dear to my heart. These different Diasporas are some of the most sophisticated and touching personal accounts of American life ever told. I am not going to ever claim that I know what it is like to be a black person in America, I will never know. What I can do is to empathize and not criticize. I am doing what I am doing today musically because of the foundation laid before me with Black Music, specifically, Black American Musicians. It is something that has always had a draw on me since I was a child. It is something that made my human experience, well, more human. I am honored to present this music when I can, and I hope that I do it with the respect and justice it deserves, as the people before me also had for it. It is powerful, and requires that reverence. If anything, I hope these incidents, both recent and passed, open certain people’s eyes to the very real problems that affect communities outside of your own (if you aren’t directly affected by these). Sharing our different involvement with such a diverse nation of separate cultures is what should be displayed as Americans, not trying to homogenize it. From there we can learn to address them in whatever manner is deemed fit. It’s important to acknowledge the fact that we are all different people with different stories and completely different upbringings. Race in this country is a large part of that experience. You need to empathize with The Struggle, especially when it’s not your own.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 20:31:20 +0000
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