#interesctionality

[sunshineandprogress-blog1]

Rev. Dr. William Barber, Repairers of the Breach, NC

[nataliewhiteforequalrights]

(via Michelle Obama)

http://nataliewhiteforequalrights.org/uncategorized/michelle-obama-style-iconfeminist-icon/

[blasianbishie]

On Model Minority Privilege and Passing #1

I pass among the pale folk because my father, Black and a doctor, Modeled for me the Queen’s English, Because he and my mother gave me genes that predisposed me For linguistic, logical, and analytical intelligences: The school system’s gems, I fall into MODEL MINORITY like a kid on a waterslide. I have been lucky enough To go to some of the best schools available, To have lots of good, good teachers and mentors Who were amused and delighted By my use of “big words,” And the reward centers of my brain have grown fat on that praise since I could speak.

Confirmation bias has led me to forget Every micro-aggression that has been aimed at my color. Every question about my heritage Has been followed by something like, “you’re such a pretty mix!” It is so easy to dismiss the fourth grader who called fourth-grade me “brown bitch.” I make “what’s my race?” A guessing game. Their questions never sharpen into attacks.

My mother tells me that she prayed to God for my hair texture to be right between her pin-straight Asian hair and my father’s kinky Black hair And felt blessed when mine came out exactly as it is.

I am so lucky I’ve never had to fight anyone but myself for “beautiful” I never had to be my color before I am a person. No one has ever told me to go home, Or at least, I don’t remember. If I were to go home, I would not cut my body in half, Send one side to the Philippines and the other half to the West Indies I would jettison the whole thing into space Where I am nothing at all.

I have been lucky enough To be sucked into this microcosm of the stage— This haven of spotlight, This privilege of being heard the first time— A little world where the “triple threat” is my most threatening incarnation.

I am always so much entertainment for other people’s senses.

A pet of the hegemony A lucky exotic bird Feeding on the empire’s bread.

I speak with this voice to snap the bars of my gilded cage.

You, friend, are a model minority The gay POC the hegemony likes to feed You don’t believe in fighting Because (and I quote), “what did fighting ever do?”

Fighting Is everything but lying down and swallowing the tear gas and the bullets, The playground teasing about our hair, The workplace etiquette rules that would make my cousin straighten out parts of who she is. Do you remember Stonewall? Fighting has done everything, For you, too.

You Will play nicely with the other exotic birds You think we’re all house finches And the only colors we have are little patches on our throats So why the hell should that matter?

I’m no finch, I am a nightingale in a peacock’s body, This body so ostentatious when my spirit is constantly breathless— I’m a fucking raven My caw will echo so strong your house of shadows will cave in Fill it to the brim with rocks so the light can get in And you can get out Tap them with my staff like Moses so the miracle water will flow out.

You Marched in a pride parade; Don’t scoff at me when I bare my Black pride, Extol the beauty of cinnamon And chocolate And coffee And copper And coffee with cream; Don’t tell me I’m not allowed to have pride in my melanin, Something even more integral to identity than sexual orientation, I’ll posit.

Amidst your pride flags doused in laundry detergent, Nail polish remover, and baking soda paste, My color will never fade.

Started 7/21/15