An ode to all the token black folk

February is here which means it’s Black History Month in the US and in support, I’d like to offer up the following ode to all the token black folk representing in homogeneous spaces on a daily basis.

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For every time you’ve been asked to explain the Black Lives Matter movement,

For every time you’ve been pulled into a water cooler conversation about cultural appropriation,

Or had to take the newest person of colour out to lunch to give them the talk, this one’s for you.

For every black person whose had someone tell them they don’t celebrate Black History Month because they ‘don’t see colour’,

For every black person who has had to sit through a work karaoke function and listen to drunk, white colleagues rap Gold Digger or Alright,

For every black person who has heard someone say something problematic immediately followed by, “…it’s cool my GF/BF is black so I’m allowed”,

And for every time a black person has heard someone say, “I’m not racist, I loved Get Out(or Key & Peele or Dave Chappelle)” this one’s for you too.

For every awkward fist bump someone turned into a way bigger deal,

For every time someone touched your natural hair or commented on your appearance,

For every time someone said, ‘but you’re not black-black’,

Or every time you were told, ‘but you speak so well!’ this is certainly for you.

For every gut check,

For every time you’ve been called upon to be some sort of expert on black culture,

Or had to explain the difference between a dap versus a dab,

And for every time someone’s come by to ask, ‘…but that’s not racist, right?’ this is most certainly for you.

For every meeting you’ve been pulled into because an ethnic opinion was needed despite it having nothing to do with your job function,

Or because the client was a minority,

And for every time your company ignored your concerns and produced tone-deaf or racially insensitive material any way, this one’s especially for you.

There is still a lot of work left to do. Keep up the good fight, stand strong and just know, more support is on the way…hopefully.