Comments on: 3 Ways Black People Hold Ourselves Back

By: Anilia

Anilia — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:50:42 +0000

“They say ignorance allows history to repeat itself, well what is the excuse after being amply educated?”

honestly Kari, I don’t believe this anymore. There’s just way too many examples of people knowing history but ignoring the pattern of their actions.

” I will not rear my children with this mindset nor will I encourage it in those around me.”

to me this is an awesome outlook to have. We should just be open to experiences period, not defined by limiting parameters. Who defines ‘what black people do’, anyway?

By: Kari

Kari — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:41:35 +0000

It’s as if you read my mind. I can not believe how close-minded our ancestors have become. I thought the fight was over after so many great leaders died for the cause and yet 50 years later our activists who fought the good fight are reverting back. They say ignorance allows history to repeat itself, well what is the excuse after being amply educated? I will not allow myself to be conscientiously ignorant. I will not rear my children with this mindset nor will I encourage it in those around me. In order to be an example you have to live what you teach , not recite words without meaning. I try my best to give all men, women and children equality and I hope that my children will keep this in their hearts long after I am gone.

By: Petrina Brady

Petrina Brady — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:20:22 +0000

I absoloutely love this article.Growing up I was studious and got picked on because I always had my face in a book.I think that one of the ways that black people
old ourselves back is by just pain HATIN’ on each other.In tha hood if you see another black person who is doing better than you;people tend to hate.Instead asking how they achieved their accomplishment.I think that is very unfortunate.

By: Celest Divine

Celest Divine — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:01:30 +0000

Sister, I agree with everything you said. As a Special Education teacher, it hurts me deeply when a black 4th grade brother says, “I can’t because people like me don’t do this stuff.” When I ask what kind of people he’s referring to, he says, “Black and even though you’re black too, it’s different because you’re a teacher.” That’s when the lesson plan is put on pause and we have a true teachable moment. It’s that learned helplessness that I feel our community suffers from so much. The unfortunate thing is, if we fear…we teach our children to fear success, and our children’s children do the same. At some point, we have to be willing to hit pause on the regularly scheduled agenda, and TEACH our people.

By: jubilee

jubilee — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:27:09 +0000

The its not cool to be smart mentality is affecting males of all colors. Pretty soon ghetto behavior will infect them all. (having the woman make the money and take care of you when shes six months pregnant) theres more women in college than men–the radical femininsts started this ish. The males are giving up. Most males today are unemployed and don’t want to go back to school to get a better job, etc. I think women in the past pretended to be ‘innocent’ of certain things so this would motiviate the guy to become a man—this seemed to be a ‘white woman’ behavior. Some blacks also played it

By: jubilee

jubilee — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:20:43 +0000

Yeah, black people don’t ride horses, even though we are around them in the south, and racist Hollywood would rather die than have a black girl on a horse when many are. (bill picket rodeo)the westerns could have had black women as characters. Maybe they were afraid because the “yellow rose of texas” was a black woman. Although Ive heard there is a movie called “gang or roses” which is an all black woman cast.

By: Daneesha

Daneesha — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:02:58 +0000

My school does not have a lot of Black students, but I have seen little glimpses of that “it’s not cool to be smart” mentality with the males more so than the females. Luckily, many of the students they become close friends with kind of rub off on them and they do pretty well.

Also, thanks for that wonderful assessment of me!

By: Anilia

Anilia — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:42:53 +0000

thanks Tiffany! Speaking our truth, no matter who doesn’t see our vision, is crucial. It takes mucho courage but its good to remember that fear doesn’t always go away, and we have to live our lives regardless of that. I see you’re finding your truth in your blogging and hope you enjoy reading mine as well.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:56:18 +0000

What an insightful and courageous post. When I first found “You Have More Than You Think,” a financial savers blog, I was like, “alright now!” because as you know, “black people don’t blog.” =) I feel the same way about this one.

Thank you for this post. I think it’s important for us to speak our truth – no matter how difficult it may be to receive.

By: Anilia

Anilia — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:41:48 +0000

I so agree with you. It just takes each person to reject these standards of what black people should and shouldn’t do, and decide to live their life on their own terms. At first its hard though, to realize that you’re going against the ‘grain’. But once you ask yourself who came up with these standards in the first place, then it gets easier to ‘do you’.

Thanks for the compliment on my blog too.