a conversion re-told from memory between myself and a black male co-worker
me: where are you from?
co-worker: southeast dc. where are you from? let me guess, maryland?
me: yes, montgomery county maryland
co-worker: you seem like an around the way girl
what does that even mean? [lol] does asking the question prove his point.

at my last temp position a co-worker [same one as above] would jokingly call me Tamika. at first i chose not to respond to him and then told him never to call me out of my name again [lol]. but as my last day arrived i felt compelled to ask him why he called me Tamika, his response was that i could never be a Tamika. maybe a Judy or Stacy but definitely not a Tamika [lol]. i asked about my name Abisola, and according to him my own name doesn’t fit me either.

now all of this was done in harmless jest but the point he’s making is clear: as a black suburban girl i sound or act differently than a black girl you might meet from southeast dc. growing up i’d heard it all the time, the you don’t sound black comment, often passed by other black people. thank goodness i never let anyone else define my blackness. i guess i always, ‘figured look at me? what else could i be?’

(Source: unapproachableblackchicks)