Ghana Blog: Race, White Privilege, and Ghana

Race is a topic that remains unacknowledged in our society. While most Americans are aware of the racial tensions and disparities that exist, many don't feel comfortable talking about it. In my Foundations for Social Justice class, we have had many discussions regarding the significance of race in America. Despite the strides we have made throughout the course of time, racial divides still exist. While people of color lead considerably better lives and have more equal opportunity than in past year, White privilege exists in various shapes and forms.

My personal experiences with race have been different from most people I've talked to. One of the main differences lies in the fact that the United States doesn't have a very well-established Indian community. While there are pockets of Indians in certain parts of the country, our ethnic group still a small minority. Another defining factor is that I was raised very differently from many of the Indian kids I knew while growing up. I went to a primarily White elementary school and then went to a magnet middle school where the majority of students were Hispanic and Black. In high school, my close friends were multiethnic and multireligious. After college, my life became even more of a melting pot: I'm a proud Indian-American with a strong sense of Indian roots, my boyfriend is Nigerian-American, my 3 roommates are Hispanic, and I have close friends that are Indians of different religious faiths, White, Black, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and mixed.

My appearance is further evidence of my experience as a melting pot. I find that people often don't know how to classify me. I'm often asked if I'm Arab, part Black, or part Hispanic. I've noticed over the years that while people seem to be doing a better job of identifying me as Indian, many continue to struggle. I don't feel offended by this at all--in fact, I can see why people may mistake me for another ethnicity. I have similar facial features to many Arab people, I share a similar skin tone with many Black people, and my hair texture is similar to many Hispanic people's. In a way, I find it really interesting that I can be percieved as a member of four different ethnicties.

The role of White Privilege in my life is quite confusing. Indians are often referred to by society and the media as a "model minority." This plays into the stereotype of Indians as doctors, engineers, and occasionally convenience store owners. I personally find this term to be extremely irritating. It almost makes me feels like a lap dog that's getting a pat on the back for being "obedient." I find that attitude to be quite dehumanizing. Regardless of the perception of Indians as a "model minority," I find that I still lack White Privilege in many ways. I've experienced racial slurs while growing up, people have assumed I'm not from here, I get occasional dirty looks in public, and I've been treated differently from my White counterparts in certain settings. It's tough having to deal with the "model minority" label since there is an urealistic, stereotypical perception of us as high-achieving professionals. At the same time, we suffer for this because society assumes that we're so "perfect" and don't have any problems. Consequently, what happens is that discimination, economic inequalities, and emotional health needs experienced by these communities are overlooked.

As far as race within our Ghana program is concerned, I'm looking forward to going with a racially mixed group. I appreciate the fact there is such a wide range of people. Coming from a nation with a history of racial tension, I feel that most of us are well aware of the magnitude of injustices that occur. In fact, I feel that this awareness can manifest in a positive manner in Ghana. It is likely that our knowledge and understanding about oppression that has taken place in our country will carry over and help us implement successful service learning projects. Our overall awareness can be a useful tool in empowering Ghanian communities. Additionally, our heightened sense of sensitivity will come through when we hear comments related to race made by Ghanians. I know Dr. Gilbert mentioned in class that Ghanians use terms to refer to race very loosely. I feel that as members of a racially mixed group from a country with a history of racial strife, we have an innate sense of cultural competence. I don't think the Ghanian references will offend most of us since we understand that they aren't out of malice or hatefulness. The most important thing to keep in mind is that we all have one thing in common--our passion and desire to work with communities in Ghana. While there may be surface level differences between one another, we are all more similar than different.