'Dear White people'

By Laila Muhammad | Last updated: Jul 31, 2014 - 9:49:53 AM

A film tackles racial stereotypes on campus & life as a ‘Black Face in a White Space’

Most Black folks growing up in major cities are pretty much accustomed to interacting with other races. From primary school, to graduate schools, and in the workplace, we learn about different cultures and ethnicities, and when traveling abroad we try to brush up on the customs of the society we visit as to not offend anyone.

I heard there are small towns where some White people have never seen a Black person and we know most images on T.V. portray us in a negative light.

So while filmmaker Justin Simie’s film “Dear White People” doesn’t bash all White people, it seriously speaks to racial issues in American society, Black-White interactions and stereotypes—the “You’re not like other Black people” compliment and mis-characterizations that include “the angry Black man,” the “bitter dark-skinned sistah” and the “overcompensating light skinned girl.”

When we ask questions about another race, the questions can genuinely come from our curiosity. But, how many of us as Black folks have encountered other races (specifically the Caucasian race) and dealt with how they stereotype us? The film is not an exegesis on the race problem in America; it simply explores how two different peoples try to understand one another.

My daughter’s stepmother is Caucasian, and God bless her, she really did try to learn how to cornrow and braid my daughter’s natural hair during a summer visit. We met at an airport and before they spotted me, I saw my daughter in the distance, with plaits sticking out her head attached to about 50 barrettes. I just let out a loud sigh, with my whole body, smiled and said thank you for trying. As we sat down over a cup of coffee, I told her to go ahead and ask me whatever she wanted and these were my responses:

Having an opinion does not make me an angry Black woman.

No, I do not know how to twerk and I will not teach you how to Dougie or do the D-Low Shuffle.

No, you may not touch my natural hair and, yes, I go swimming and get my hair wet.

When I see Black men with White women, this is not a personal attack on me, this stems from self-hate on their part.

Yes, we do tip at restaurants, in hotels, or wherever else services are provided.

We are not militant or racist because we take pride in our race and culture and rock afros’, we will not apologize if our “afrocentricity” offends you.

Yes, it’s offensive when you say things like “you’re not like other Black people.”

After our conversation and 100 questions later, I suggested she watch “Dear White People” and how it tackles the race divide. The film places the race question in the center of the table, was first introduced at the Sundance Film Festival, and is satirical, witty, and downright remarkable. It won the 2014 Sundance Film Festival award for Breakthrough Talent for director and writer Justin Simie. It follows a group of Black students as they navigate campus life and racial politics at a predominantly White college and expounds on the daily innuendos directed at these students by non-Blacks.

Watching the film trailer left me in stitches, and you will likely be laughing so hard tears will flow, all while you seriously contemplate the issue of race.

The film offers a cast of newcomers and familiar faces, like Teyonah Parris, Brandon P. Bell, and Tyler James Williams. You will definitely enjoy this film. It hits theaters October 2014. Please go see it—and while you’re at it, take a White person with you. I’m going to see it with my daughter’s stepmother. (Smile.)

For more information, or to learn how to eat watermelon in the company of White folks and enjoy it, follow me on Twitter.

(Laila Muhammad is a Final Call production assistant, writer, and videographer based in Chicago. Follow her @liberatedvoices.blogspot.com, to purchase her paperback or eBook “Coffee makes you Black … so pour me some more,” go to http://www.lailamuhammad1.wordpress.com

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