" For ordinary African-American women, those individuals who have lived through the experiences about which they claim to be experts are more believable and credible than those who have merely read or thought about such experiences."
This statement speaks volumes to me. It speaks what I believe in and what I tend to live by. I have often stated on many occasions in different conversations. Experience and first hand knowledge speaks louder and means more to me than an outside perspective. Today we had a guest speaker Caucasian, middle class man, whom some students in the class stated they liked more than the guest speaker we had in the past "Shark-Fu" a Black women. I found this interesting and wondered why some students liked one more than the other? I wondered why there was a comparison and why overall we just didn't appreciate what they both had to bring to the table from their individual perspectives and experiences?
The quote above from "The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought," speaks loud and clear in reference to credibility and how it is perceived from a African-American woman's perspective. I concur that experts are more believable and credible who have experienced what they talk about. In fact I believe you don't have to be an expert, authentic experience is powerful and covers anyone.
It's a nice gesture, but it's not real or credible to me or for me. Until you have walked in my shoes or felt my struggles for yourself. I can't really identify with you. There are variety of areas where we might mix but on a superficial level. I often wonder if in a bad situation what choices would be made? Would a person lean to the left or right, and lets not forget those who stay in the middle who I like to refer to as "two faced".
There is a young lady who complains about a race situation, but then states that "she had to claim the race of Caucasian to have the basic rights that she wouldn't otherwise have as the other race." As a black woman I don't have the liberty to change or switch anything. I am Black and I will always be Black. I am also proud to be Black and proud of where I come from. When I look back at my heritage I am proud of every right earned and sacrifice made. As a Black woman I have to "embrace the suck" and keep it moving. I choose to be positive yet I am not a fool.
I can't say that I liked one speaker more than the other, but I can say that I could better identify with Shark-Fu even though I don't understand or agree with some of her methods. I do feel that she speaks with conviction and heart. I identify with Dr. Doug in terms of empathy, I too like to help where I can and feel convicted to do so.
Its easy to become apart of a movement or to recruit change, but as our guest speaker stated and I am paraphrasing- he is still " the ultimate power in society, privileged, Caucasian and middle class." In my opinion he really has nothing to loose. Whereas some recruit change because their lives depend upon it. I am not easily persuaded that everyone who says they are for me are truly for me, just from my own personal experience. Some questions that come to my mind is…Whats the motive? Whats to gain and whats to loose?
Quote References: Richardson Laurel, Verta Taylor and Nancy Wittier. Feminist Frontiers IV. New York: McGraw-Hill 1997
"The Social Construction of Black Feminist Thought," Patricia Hill Collins
Well said, I really regret mission the session with Shark-fu, sounds like I missed a great one. I agree, some we do tend to discount what others are saying based on superficial reasons. By that I mean we look at their clothes, tone, race, and sex rather than the substance of a message. While those superficial issues may be important in some contexts. As an audience we have to be look beyond them to and listen to the message. As you've correctly stated we can't' all be experts. Someone may not be the best trained public speaker, but that fact shouldn't diminish their voice.
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