Voice of a Nation

No black person wants to be the voice of all black people… I mean we say that, but in reality, we are always just that. We are put in positions where we are forced to speak for an entire community, because, well….if you don’t, who will?

Representation matters, and if you are the only representation in a room….well, I guess you are speaking for everyone.

I recently accepted an opportunity where this was the case. A well meaning group of white people needed an other, in this case specifically a black woman, to round out their team, give them guidance on culture, and be the representation in the room.

They were very lovely and apologetic in a way we can all relate to, where it is borderline uncomfortable, but still…no matter what, it’s just little old me, always the one and only, speaking for my whole culture.

I am black and therefore I am black culture, but I do not claim to know it all. It is just an interesting thought, that while we are pushing the fact that representation matters, there are still different voices within that representation. One voice can’t and shouldn’t speak for a whole nation.

It is still better than nothing, but we still have a long way to go.

Author: Randi