Last week – I presented a session at the Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE). This was my first time presenting at this conference and I selected the topic of showcasing the lived experiences of Black women born and raised in Iowa.
In typical ‘me’ fashion, I completed my research and presentation a few days before my session. My inner self loves nothing more than to procrastinate. I sent a survey to a group of my closest friends and asked a series of questions regarding community, validation, misconceptions and microaggressions.
Here are the questions from the survey:
- Tell me about the community you grew up in. How did your family connect with other Black people in your area?
- How important was it for you to receive validation growing up?
- Where did validation come from (Ex. parents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc.)?
- What are some misconceptions about growing up as a Black woman in Iowa?
- Tell me about a time (if any) where you experiences microaggressions in the workplace. How did that experience make you feel?
- How did the validation you received growing up impact how you handle microaggressions in the workplace now?
- What advice do you have for Black girls currently growing up in Iowa about validation and work-place experiences?
When I tell you that my friends showed up and showed out on that survey – I truly mean that. My friends – all educated, talented and loving Black women have been in my life for the last 25 years. We have gone through life at the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows and still manage to be there for each other regardless of the situation. And time is irrelevant because we always pick up right where we left off. We truly support each other as we all move in the world with our own brand of grace and confidence.
And – when I say that we are educated…whew! Our academic accolades are nothing to play about. We have dedicated ourselves to academic excellence that making a difference in our chosen career fields. We are creating our own spaces and tables to sit at and setting the standard for what Black women can achieve.
What I appreciated most about reading their survey responses is the transparency. Each of my friends has a unique experience and they were honest about how important it is to recognize and call out microaggressions in the workplace and as Black women. They also mentioned being categorized as “acting” or “talking” like a white girl when in reality, our parents taught us how to speak proper English. Lastly, a friend commented that sometimes, she just wants to ‘be’ and the negative connotations around the ‘strong Black woman’ stereotype that really made me think about how ‘on’ I have to be all the time.
So – what was the purpose of this presentation?
This presentation was meant to share the unique experiences of Black women. Iowa is a fly-over state in the MIdwest – with a population of over 3.1 million people, 89% of which are white and 4.4% are Black. As little Black girls, we were raised knowing that we would have to be better, smarter, faster and stronger than our white peers to get half the attention and recognition.
Our state was not a popular one in post-war and reconstruction era after the Civil War. We came with nothing and built communities where Black people were thriving in business, farming and education. One town – Buxton, Iowa, a racially-integrated coal mining town where many residents worked on the Chicago and Northwestern railway. The story of this town and its success has been lost among time and the developing cities around it.
The story of this town exists…and so do our stories.
This presentation was a stepping stone. It was a way to share my experience, identify what was important to me, and understand how my experiences connect with the experiences of other women that look like me.
What’s next?
Well – we are starting with this blog. In college, I majored in Journalism and Mass Communications at Simpson College and since I didn’t chose the career path of hard-hitting journalism, I’ve noticed in recent years that I miss doing research on a topic, interviewing people and gaining perspective on what I’ve learned.
Today’s world – which includes 24-hour news cycles, social media, and a mini-computer in my purse means that I can start working on what is missing in my life. I can do my own research, interview people and gain the perspective and share what I have learned.
After that – a podcast and a journey that I have no doubt will take me places I never thought I would get to in my lifetime.
This Black Girl is more than other – I am proud of my home state, the family that raised me and the people that came before me. The people that paved the way for me to achieve something meaningful.
Black. Girl. Iowa. 