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Portland State poet brings racial awareness to MHCC
The Advocate
Controversial discussions surrounding racism and inequality were the subject of debate Wednesday in the Town and Gown Room.
As part of Love Week, the Student Activity Board invited Portland State University Black Studies instructor Walidah Imarisha to read some of her poetry and take questions from the audience.
Tra' Ford, ASG director of diversity, opened the event with three of his poems: "Dedicated," "My Love " and "Cool Summer Breeze." Imarisha followed with three poems which focused on racial tension and the inequality she said occurs daily in America.
A poem about Hurricane Katrina was followed by Imarisha stating that women of color were affected more than others in the 2005 Gulf disaster due to a cross-section of race, gender and class prejudice in the South.
In a conversation about healthcare, in which Imarisha spoke about the difficulty for black Americans and other minorities to obtain coverage, event attendee Aaron Harris said, "A lot of white people don't have healthcare either."
Harris said Imarisha stated blacks are struggling for care but he added that everyone is struggling. He also said what he heard was only blacks are struggling for coverage when he and his girlfriend also, until recently, have been uncovered. Asked if he knew that it was a Black History Month event, he said he understood that but added he thinks healthcare should be recognized as a common struggle.
Imarisha said after the event that race is the number one indicator of whether an individual will receive coverage or not, making it the number one indicator of whether we live or die.
Ford asked Imarisha what her perspective of using the 'N word' was since it has become commonly used by blacks as a form of camaraderie.
Imarisha said she lived in Philadelphia in a predominantly white neighborhood and encountered racial slurs daily. She decided to move after she saw the N-word written on a wall outside her home. She said the word is not a word of the past, but is still commonly used to assert power. She also said black people do have the power to reclaim it. She closed her answer by saying, "White folks: Don't use it. Just leave it alone."
She also said Portland has as many race problems as any other city, but because the minority population is so small, it remains off many people's radar.
The Advocate reserves the right to not publish comments based on their appropriateness.