National Council of Negro Women discusses being a black woman in America

On Feb. 22, The National Council of Negro Women, Black Female Development Circle and Sigma Gamma Rho hosted, "I Am Not Your Negro" at Parkview. Photo by Stacy Marie-Luce/PantherNOW

By Stacy Marie-Luce

Body type stereotypes, the cliché of the “angry black woman,” post-traumatic slave syndrome and cultural appropriation, were among the topics discussed at a forum called “I Am Not Your Negro” on Feb. 22.

“To be a black woman in the U.S., you have to be strong and independent. Do what you need in order to survive and understand that you will be stereotyped every day,” said Kayla Little, vice president of Omicron Theta Chapter.

Photo by: Stacy Marie-Luce

The National Council of Negro Women, the Black Female Development Circle and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. put the panel together.

As majority black students slowly filled the room, Widmiria Jean, president of the National Council of Negro Women, took the microphone to introduce the main topic of the night, the ethereal black woman.

As an icebreaker, Jean set up an activity that revealed the common stereotypes and struggles African-American women face in the United States. When the psychology major asked if anyone had ever been judged or stereotyped because of the color of their skin, students took a step forward and looked at each other with surprise.

Black women are at the bottom of the social scale, according to panelists Malcolm Jones, architecture major, and Brianna Watts, Black Student Union advisor, and alumna

“The stress that society puts on our back is such a huge weight to carry. We may look angry, but we are frustrated. I would never even apply for a job in a company if I don’t see diversity in their workforce,” said Watts.

Yet black men have it almost as bad, Jones said.

“Today, the black man has to overcompensate for his stolen masculinity during slavery,” said Jones.

What Jones refers to is post-traumatic slave syndrome, a theory that explains the adaptive survival behaviors in African American communities throughout the United States.

“We are raised by strong, independent black women and will spend our whole lives trying to prove our masculinity,” said Jones.

At the end of the discussion forum, many students subscribed to get more information about the organization, maybe to get involved in their mission.

“We were created to lead, advocate for, and empower women. We want them to become the best version of themselves while having a great support system,” said Jasmine Johnson, events coordinator of NCNW.

1 Comment on "National Council of Negro Women discusses being a black woman in America"

  1. Thanks for share your informative and thoughts. Keep sharing!
    National Council Of Negro Women

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