Stranger: “You cannot be from America, you’re Black.”
My friend: “But what about President Obama? He’s Black!”
Stranger: “Ah yes…He is African.”

This conversation took place in the city where I’m currently living ­— Nanjing, China — ­between a friend of mine and a Chinese stranger on the street. It is similar to a conversation that I have at least a few times a month here. One that is comprised mainly of a denial of my geographic home by the other party because, well, i’m a Black girl and Black people, according to Chinese people, only come from Africa.

This is forgivable for a plethora of reasons: One, China is greatly homogeneous. Over 90% of it’s population identifies itself as ethnically Han Chinese and about 8% identifies with one of the other 55 ethnicities, which leaves foreigners as one of those barely visible slices on the pie chart. Two, a majority of the Black people in China are immigrants from Africa. Three, the most popular international shows exported from America have almost no minorities in their casts.

Most born and raised Americans (and most westerners) have much more experience with diversity. If not immediately, at least by way of the media — enough to know that the President of the United States is American even though his father was born elsewhere. There are a few, however, who've asked questions similar to the ones I've heard here in China and they usually fall into two categories. Let’s compare:

The always fun: Where are you from?

American girl: “Where are you from?”
Me: “Queens.”
American girl: “Where are you really from?”
Me (blankly): “Queens.”

Chinese stranger: “Where are you from?”
Me: “America.”
Chinese stranger: “No you are not, you are African.”
Me (deep sigh)

Irishman in Nanjing: “Wow you all have really great haircuts.”
Group of Black Friends (skeptically): “Thanks.”
Irishman in Nanjing: “Where are you from?”
Friends (various places in America)
Irishman in Nanjing: “Wow, I thought you guys were going to say Ghana or something.”

Another Game Winner: The Name Question

American: “What’s her name again?”
Me (insert name)
American: “Is that her actual name?”
Me (stares blankly, turns, and walks away)

Chinese student: “What is your name?”
Me: “Nabi.”
Chinese student: “That is a name?”
Me (flatly): “Yes.”

Though these are incredibly similar experiences, I suggest two very different solutions.

China has a cannon of popular American shows. Many Chinese young adults and adults watch these shows to learn English and the majority of what they see is white skin. Friends, Big Bang Theory, Gossip Girl, and 2 Broke Girls are watched, studied, and even used in some English Training schools. They tell hundreds of millions of viewers that this is what the Western world looks like; this is America — white everything. Many people ask why it is imperative to diversify media, and on the simplest level, this is why.

One of America’s biggest exports is culture. Much of the world’s entertainment hunger is nourished with American media. These shows act as a gateway into our country, and their scope is dangerously skewed. Much of American media and culture is based off of and was built by Black culture, and internationally there are populations that believe that Black Americans do not exist. This erasure negatively affects both parties. Suggested solution: come on American media. Scandal is bomb, but we have to do better.

As for the Americans who ask me with squinty eyes and a stretched mouth, “Where are you really from?” and assume I am not from the same country as them because my name and features are different, my suggestion to you is to simply read a book, or several. Start with one that begins in the 1700’s when people who look like me were brought here on a boat and held against their will. Continue reading and learning about things like “clean slate theory” and colonization. Keep moving through history all the way to the present forms of racism illustrated in books like The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. People like me will be very thankful, and society will be moving in the right direction. For more book suggestions feel free to leave a note next to this post.

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