Being Black In Peace Corps

There has been a lot of talk lately about race in PC Senegal, and I just want to add my 2cents. I must start of by saying I’ve also been that one raisin amongst all the white chocolate, as a result the way I process the race issues is not the same as most. The issues of race for me surfaced when I moved to the U.S as a result I still don’t comprehend the issue entirely. I mean even the issue of race in the PC I just started understanding it because people are talking about. I never knew how comments such as “us whites, us whites in Senegal,” (as there are more whites tahn balck and people just ID with the majority, as its is the American way, majority rules)  were an issue till it was brought, and I guess that is due to my ignorance.  

In training most volunteers, as 95% of them are white just talk about how its hard being white in Senegal an forget to incorporate the minority of the group.  To me this is not an issue, as I understand there are more whites than other race, as they are just talking about their experiences. I remember during training when people said stuff like that, ill just talk about how hard of a time I’m having as been black, or just my experiences. As black in PC I understand the issue but I don’t empathize or quite comprehend. That has always been a problem for me, even between my friends back home, they will say something like that was so racists, they did that just because I was black, I will proceed having a dumb stare like, O really. I’ve had countless arguments with my cousin about it, when it comes to our neighborhood, sport players and as always I just don’t quite get it. As I said blame it on my ignorance.

Well for me, being black in Senegal, I’ve had more issues dealing with the treatments I received from Senegalese people than other volunteers. Mostly people automatically assume I’m Wolof (one of the major ethnic group here) when they see me. They automatically start speaking Wolof to me. I’ve had countless, pointless conversations proving that I’m American. I’ll tell people I’m a American Peace Corps volunteer, and they will proceed to ask me where are you from, “America.” Then they will proceed to ask where is your family from, where were you born and I’ll tell them America (expect a few close friends and my family) and they never believe me because there are no blacks in America. I know telling them I’m from America and I don’t know my origin is a lie. But its just to prove that there are blacks in America, who don’t even know Africa.

Also when I’m around other volunteer, Senegalese will just talk to the other volunteers, the Toubabds and just  ignore me. They will be so excited to talk to my peers, shake their hands, and when it come to me sometimes, I don’t even get a hi.  There have also been countless of times, were I was told I’m not light enough to be American, I need to bleach my skin, or I need to perm my hair.

These things annoys me  because these African treat themselves worst than they do a stranger, then will be so open and hospitable to Toubab , but when it comes to their kind they ignore them, or just don’t care. It annoys me that they have not learned to love themselves and be kind to each other instead of the “whiteman”

Yet again, I’m happy to be black here, because I don’t get harassed, bothered or get to shake dirty kids hands as my peers. I get to blend in more than they do and I feel I reach a level of integration that they will never be able to achieve.

As result of these issues within PC Senegal Liz (well more Liz) and I are coming up with solutions and plans that can be implement to make PC Senegal more inclusive to everyone, black, white, Asian, old young, church goers, gay, lesbian, etc. Because after all, at the end of the day our Peace Corps family is what we have and who we depend on to make it through the years as a Peace Corps volunteer, therefore we all have to be one BIG happy Family.