The ghetto life — typically poor, predominantly black neighborhoods — have become microcosms of racial tensions and social injustice.
There is nearly 1.5 million Black youth in the U.S. living in areas considered “statistically high risk” for social, economic, and cultural failure.
For Black youth living in urban ghettos across the country, their experience with racism is more than just an abstract concept or a history lesson—it’s their everyday reality.
It can be especially difficult to navigate this world as a young person of color whose experiences are often alienated by society or invalidated as unimportant.
Even
within marginalized communities, it can feel like you’re the only person who sees things differently — then you’re the only one who feels so alone and misunderstood.
The isolation that comes with being different from your peers can be incredibly destabilizing and alienating.
The ghetto life…here’s what it looks like to be a Black youth today!
https://jusmeetwo.com/being-black-in-america/
Everyday Racism: What It Feels Like to Be Black in America
The most frustrating part about being Black in America for many Black youths is that it’s a struggle that never really ends.
While there’s certainly value in reflecting on racism and racial inequality history, it’s also important to acknowledge that today’s issues are alive.
Everyday racism is the feeling of being profiled by law enforcement, given a cynical eye from a store clerk.
Unfortunately, it’s always been this way, but there are more occasions where people openly ridicule or make jokes about race nowadays- especially since Donald Trump got elected president!
Everyday racism is the feeling that you’re always under surveillance, receiving a side-eye from a stranger on the subway, and being the only Black person in the elevator or the feeling that you’re always the outsider.
The Ghetto life..Discrimination Is Inescapable
Being Black in America often means that you’re being actively discriminated against.
And unfortunately, this discrimination often occurs in places where you’d expect it to be least tolerated;
That said…discrimination can be both explicit and implicit — it can be intentional, but it can also be unintentional and subconscious.
Black youth experience discrimination in all of its forms. It takes many forms, including the disproportionate discipline of Black youth in schools;
The under-representation of Black people in the workforce, leadership positions, and the racial biases of teachers or other authority figures.
Discrimination also plays out in the form of stereotypes and harmful assumptions about Black culture.
the ghetto life…You’re Constantly Being Judged Based on Your Appearance
What’s more, blackness is often associated with being “thugged-out,” wearing gold chains, having braids or dreads, or having tattoos covering your body.
The insidious stigma around our Blackness often creates a certain aesthetic expectation for people to fit; and for many Black youth, these expectations can feel restrictive and judgmental.
Additionally, it can be incredibly isolating to be judged based on your appearance rather than your character — but it’s important to remember that you are so much more than the way you look.
You are beautiful, powerful, and enough — no matter what other people think.
The Ghetto Life…People Are Afraid of You — Even Strangers
Nonetheless, stereotypes associated with Black people often make white people uncomfortable and trigger an instinctual fear.
Which leads white people to treat Black youth like they’re dangerous or aggressive — even when walking down the street.
This implicit bias is one of the most frustrating parts of being Black. Likewise..it is frustrating to watch people cross the street when you walk past them or to struggle to get a taxi ride home because drivers see you as a threat.
In spite of , how racism make white people feel afraid of you, no matter where you are… studying in the library or shopping in a store …non of that reflects negatively on you.
Good News Is Rare, and Bad News Is Normal …The Ghetto life
The fact that you are Black means that you are more likely to be poor, more likely to be incarcerated, more likely to be unemployed, and more likely to experience a lower healthcare quality.
These unfortunate realities can make it difficult to find good news to celebrate. And the sad fact is that when we look at the statistics, the conclusion is that things will get worse.
Therefore, if you’re Black and want to succeed in school, you have to fight against these statistics. You have to be an overachiever to meet the standard of success.
The Police Are Always Out to Get You
By comparison…being a Black youth in the United States means that you’re more likely to be stopped by the police, more likely to be arrested, and more likely to be killed by the police.
As such, it’s important to remember that the police aren’t your friends — they’re meant to serve and protect the people of your community.
Unfortunately, the police don’t always follow protocol or treat Black people fairly, which can be incredibly frustrating.
And it can be especially frustrating if you’re a Black youth who has been taught to be respectful and polite to authority figures — but those authority figures aren’t always respectful in return.
The criminalization of Black youth can be particularly harmful when unfounded suspicions lead to stereotyping. It also can be scary to think that you could be thrown in jail for doing something as simple as …walking down the street.
For a black person , it can be difficult to prove that you’re innocent when the police are coming after you — especially when they’re racially biased.
Conclusion
Being a Black youth in America is difficult, but it can also be empowering.
It can be empowering to know…
- Your history and understand the strength of your ancestors.
- To appreciate your culture and the experiences that make you who you are.
- To find a community of people who understand what you’ve been through
- And know what it feels like to be a Black youth in America.
Although being a Black youth in America can feel isolating, so many people go through the same thing as you. You’re not alone — and hopefully, this article can help you understand that.
Thanks for Reading!
The Shooting Of Ahmaud Arbery Was “Murder”
References:
https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/black-disparities-youth-incarceration/
https://www.wamc.org/podcast/the-roundtable/2021-11-01/how-america-criminalizes-black-youth
https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/18/school-systems-make-criminals-black-youth/