Black people have been creating a way out of no way for centuries. We were brought to America and stripped of our languages, tribes, religious views, and cultures. The way we learned to survive was through community. People who looked like us were the only ones we could trust. We shared stories of grief, perseverance, and triumph through songs sung around a fire, as well as the reclining seats of the barbershop. Leaning on those of the same race has become our sword and shield. In our response to adversity, we formed a community based on shared experiences and strength. It has become our very own comfort zone.
It has been a privilege to feel that level of community. The black women I see feel like my sisters even if we have never met. In our community, however, it can foster feelings of separation. It is based on a justifiable fear of those who had oppressed them for centuries. It has become a habit of survival. I have always found beauty in experiencing outside cultures. Black people have made a culture when it was taken from us. Seeing cultures that span back thousands of years and thrived in spite of colonialism truly warms my heart and sparks my love of learning.
I believe that to many outlying countries, they may not understand the full severity of black oppression in the United States. It may seem that racism ended in the 1960s when Martin Luther King Jr. died. However, more of the world is starting to be exposed to the cause behind our outcry and our rallying. In a place like New Zealand, I imagine the strife of black people can be understood as they show appreciation to their own indigenous people that fought for equality, the Māori people. I specifically chose this location to study the ethical and racial tensions between a colonized people who won their freedom and are coexisting with their European settlers.
I hope to understand people of many different walks of life. Having this knowledge of how other countries navigated colonialism and racial tensions will allow me to share this knowledge when I return. My future career and law should be supplemented by a rich understanding of ethics and how it is applied in different countries in order to further understand the merits and shortcomings of my own country’s institutions. This prepares me to truly take global citizenship and apply it in practice.