Editorial

Perspective: It’s Getting Harder for People of Color Like Me to Inhabit White Spaces

Perspective:

People of colour have always had difficulty being accepted in a white controlled society. You see money talks and bull manure walks.  I heard some white folks talking one day in Canada, and they did not expect me to hear.  They said in essence that “most blacks have dash and little cash”.  They were shocked when they realized that their private utterances were not very private, after all.  This was not a shocker to me, but made be more aware of their negative attitudes to people of colour.  They fail to accept us for who we are.

Colourful

As people of colour we have a lot to be proud of. Our athletes, and sports folks have made us very proud. Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell are world beaters on the track, so are Merlene Ottey, Shelly-Ann Frazer Pryce to name a few. They are world renown and are folks of colour. Our achievements make us colourful and distinguished. Yes we find it difficult to be accepted in white people’s place.

Personal

On a personal note, I was denied a place to live in Ontario, due to my colour. I nearly fainted when the landlord told me so to my face. “We don’t want any blacks here” was how I was greeted.  We met on the telephone and was offered the space … so my identity was unknown to the landlord.

Poetic Commentary

In one of my most celebrated poems on “Multiculturalism” … it reads as follows ..

It is not what is on your head …
But what is inside … instead …
We all have ingenuity …
All should be treated with dignity

I am proud of my pigmentation
To that I deserve a true ovation
It is my productive contribution
That will sorely build our nation

Let us embrace one another
And accept us as your brother
There is no super race …
To think so, is a real disgrace.

Amen!

by Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, poet & satirist

Stand up people of colour and let the detractors eat their hearts out.  We have built this nation, and make it great … an envy of many. So hold your head high … you have a lot to be proud of.

This is our perspective, What is yours? Let us get your feedback.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie writes for Vision Newspaper, He is a person of colour, and a social activist who has experienced racism up front.

original story by Naveen Kumar/11 Dec 2017

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