Ain’t I A Black Woman: Top 5 Takeaways from Rachel Dolezal Upcoming Book Release
Rachel Dolezal is not a black woman and I’m tired of hearing it. She continues to plead her case about her adopted state of “blackness”. This week it was announced that her new book, In Full Color, will be released in March 2017. Here’s a breakdown of why Dolezal cannot claim that she is black — she does not face the same challenges.
Stopped: Black women made up more than 53% of all women stopped by the New York City police in 2013
Black women are far more likely to be stopped by police than their female counterparts of other racial categories. I have the ability to empathize and put myself in the shoes of these Black women who have to deal with the misguided assertion of police authority. Rachael Dolezal does not and will never understand what Black women feel as they encounter police. As a black woman, I prefer her to advocate for a shift in relations between police offers and members of the black community. Dolezal cannot fill my shoes, but she will seemingly continue to try to be black.
Underprivileged: More than 25% of black women live in poverty
Dolezal’s family decided to live in a teepee. They literally chose another way of life and returned to their home after some time. A number of black women live in poor conditions in which they are unable to escape for generations. Some of these women have lived in my old neighborhood. Knowing that these women were living check to check and unfamiliar with much outside of my hometown has inspired me to work towards creating a path for them to live better lives.
Disadvantaged: Black women’s median wealth was just $100 compared to single white women’s wealth, which was $41,500
I am not concerned with the extent of Rachel Dolezal’s economic success. She has something to fall back on. Yes, Dolezal was stable after her parents confessed that she was of European descent. She had the luxury of resigning from her education director and NAACP leadership position and chose to take on hair braiding as a steady means of income. On the other hand, as a young, independent black woman, I have to work from the ground up with little to no wealth. My hope is get a job after school so that I can sustain myself.
Educated: 9.7% of Black women enrolled in college, making gradual progress in overall educational attainment
In pursuit of obtaining my degree from the illustrious Spelman College, I had to work hard for every opportunity that I was presented. I write to explain my experiences as a black woman, while Dolezal has benefitted from her creation of black art. She manipulated the system by obtaining a full scholarship to pursue her Master of Fine Arts at Howard University. Funding has not always been readily available for HBCU students and a white woman managed to take advantage of limited funding.
Underrepresented: 11.4% and 1.2% hold elected office positions and corporate executive positions, respectively
Black women are staggering behind in the number of political and corporate leadership positions. Meanwhile, Dolezal successfully took the place of a qualified black woman and obtained a role as president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP to advocate for equality for blacks. I, in fact, strongly support black women who pave the way for young black women and girls so that they can make a difference in their communities.
I embrace my blackness. I find it disappointing that a white woman could get away with posing as a black woman. Black women have endured many burdens, and I have to admit that Dolezal has too. Not because she is a black, but because she has trouble accepting the complexities of her identity. I charge Dolezal to work to uplift us, not pretend to be us.
Jonell Brown is a senior political science major from East Orange, New Jersey. She recently finished her internship with Reuters Brazil. Jonell currenlty attends Spelman College.
