A Seat at the Table
By Samantha Holmes
The United States of America is deemed a “free” country. The irony, however, is that this country is only free if you fit the criteria. Gender: cisgender male. Sexuality: straight. Race: white. Class: middle/upper. You must be able-bodied. You can have no visible or even invisible disability. Your religion has to be a form of Christianity. If your identity does not meet the criteria, your voice is often silenced, and you are a victim of oppression in some way or another.
Ida B. Wells wrote “Lynch Law in America,” where she discussed the lynching of people of color in the United States. She talks about how it is “an unwritten law” to lynch people without a trial and without allowing those being lynched to defend themselves. Ida B. Wells mentioned in her writing, “if a colored man resented the imposition of a white man and the two came to blows, the colored man had to die, either at the hands of the white man then and there, or later at the hands of a mob that speedily gathered.” This, unfortunately, is still true today. People of color frequently find themselves victims because of the actions of white people.
Daunte Wright was twenty years old when he was shot and killed by an officer after being stopped for a traffic violation. Andre Hill was forty-seven when he was shot and killed by an officer after leaving his garage while holding his cell phone. Manuel Ellis was thirty-three when he was beaten to death by two officers after leaving a convenience store. George Floyd was forty-six when an officer knelt on his neck until he died because he supposedly tried using counterfeit money. Breonna Taylor was twenty-six when she was shot and killed while asleep by three officers who had entered her apartment. Aura Rosser was forty when she was shot and killed by an officer when her boyfriend called to end an altercation. These are just a few of the many victims who have been wrongfully lynched in the United States.
Mikki Kendall wrote “Hood Feminism,” discussing numerous identities, such as race, class, and sexuality. In chapter three, “Allies, Anger, and Accomplices,” she specifically focuses on sexuality and how to be an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. She mentions how allies do not often see their faults, which can be harmful. One quote that stood out is, “Instead of listening to the concerns a marginalized person is trying to express, they whip out the “I marched with Dr. King, I was an ally when no one else was, I earned the right to say these things in the past” laundry list, which often is intended to cover everything without ever engaging with the current problem.” This quote is important because it expresses how allies believe they have done the right thing, but by doing so, they tend to silence the voices of the marginalized.
Marginalized voices have been silenced in the past and are still being silenced today. People of color are being lynched and have no say in it. People who have a mental illness or have mental breakdowns are being lynched. Society seems to blame these individuals for their unfortunate fate, further silencing them, even after death. People of the LGBTQIA+ community, whether gay, bisexual, transgender or however they identify, are being silenced. Individual states are now creating “don’t say gay” bills, where schools can no longer teach about the community. People of different nationalities are silenced. After the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, people of Asian descent have been further mistreated and oppressed within the United States, as many believed this group created the pandemic and brought it to this country. People of different religions are silenced. Those practicing Islam in the United States are often deemed “terrorists” because of the 9/11 tragedy.
Artist Statement: Seat at the Table
Having a seat at the table refers to being a part of society’s conversations. This includes decision-making, laws, policies, etc. Marginalized groups lack a seat at the table. They are not always welcome in the discussion, which further oppresses them. I decided to propose a chair, to ensure that everyone, regardless of identity, has a seat at the table. The four legs of the seat are all painted with different skin tones to express that all races are included. The chair’s seat has numerous flags from other countries, representing different nationalities and different religions can be seen as well. The wood pieces in the middle of the chair depict four flags from the LGBTQIA+ community: gay, bisexual, transgender, and asexual. The top of the chair represents both physical and mental disabilities. Lastly, along the edge of the seat are the names and ages of just a few individuals who fell victim to unnecessary violence.
