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Naughty Assimilation
Living in and out of multiple cultures
The first time I learned about assimilation is while I was attending UC Davis in the early 2000s. I heard about the concept in classes, heard it in debates and even heard about it at spoken word venues as many of the artists frequently used rhetoric against the idea of assimilation. Sadly, had I never attended UC Davis or gone to college I am not sure I would have ever learned about this concept.
Learning the definition of the term seemed simple enough, assimilation specifically meant to integrate, to take on the customs of a new culture and immerse yourself into that culture. However, there was a broader definition relating to culture, how assimilation is something forced upon you — either directly or indirectly — and happens when the dominant culture strips away your cultural identity for you to assimilate into the dominate culture successfully. By this broader definition, it would mean that I, a Trinidadian-American would have to fully disregard my own culture in order to assimilate completely into mainstream “American Culture,” or what some might call “White America.” Throughout history there are times and places in the world that cultures have enforced embracing the dominate culture and forgetting about your own. However, 20 years removed from my college curriculum I am not so sure that it is always the case and that assimilation is…
