Letter to the Editor: The importance of representation

In her op-ed published on April 22, columnist Michelle Singletary wrote about the significance of putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. Singletary rightfully dismissed claims that Tubman’s appearance on the bill reeks of unnecessary political correctness, and acknowledges that while putting the former slave on the mark is a historical victory, the move does not remedy the fact that women, African American families, and African American women specially face financial struggles in ways unfelt by their white counterparts. Singletary did a great job of furthering the conversation about wealth gaps, economic inequality, and financial disenfranchisement, but I felt that she left out perhaps the most significant part of putting Tubman on the bill: representation.

As an African-American woman, having another black woman grace the front of the $20 bill matters. When I look around at my world I yearn to find someone who looks like me. At Boston University, where African-Americans make up 3 percent of the student body, I struggle to find a classmate, let alone a professor, who has curly hair like mine. As I begin to network in my future career field of public policy, I am consistently underwhelmed by the lack of people of color in the industry. I feel a pang of disappointment every time I turn on the television, visit the movie theater, or see a play because women of color remain underrepresented in these mediums. What does it say when a 21-year-old gets excited over the new line of racially diverse Barbie dolls?

The phrase “if she can’t see it, she can’t be it” resonates strongly with me. While I have no shortage of role models in my life, I know that other young black girls cannot say the same. There are so many forces that lead black girls to believe they are not good enough to be artists, scientists, coders, or politicians. This country understands that the men on our currency were great influencers, public servants, and leaders. The absence of women and people of color from American currency sends the message that there have been no women in history who had these qualities.

I appreciate the economic perspective Singletary’s provides in her article, but I think she could have provided a human perspective as well. While I cannot wait to hold a $20 bill in my hand that bares the resemblance of the resilient, brave, and remarkable Harriet Tubman, I wonder how I could have benefitted from seeing someone like me on the bill fifteen years ago.