Must read from Frankie Edozien, a Nigerian based in America:

It stings, but doesn’t surprise.

No criminal charges were brought yesterday against the New York City police officer who tussled with a black man and the latter ended up dead.

I wasn’t even mildly surprised.

By now, I know better. I moved to New York 25 years ago and spent most of that time as a reporter covering the city. I have investigated stories on corruption and the misuse of funds that have resulted in some serious consequences for people, including getting fired.

The death of Eric Garner—placed in a chokehold by an officer in a fight over loose cigarettes— was caught on video, though. I saw it and knew nothing would happen. Perhaps I am jaded.

Journalists hold up the mirror to our societies. We don’t have to like what is looking back at us.

New Yorkers have reacted with demonstrations. More than 30 people were arrested yesterday. More protests are expected today. Thousands are tweeting and Facebooking their fury.

America is having another racial moment. I’ve covered these before. And yet I’m still left wondering why, in 2014, black men scare the bejesus out of white police officers.

I suspect most Africans of my generation aren’t conscious of race until we have this awkward dance with her after we’ve settled in the first world.

Growing up in Nigeria, I was an Asaba man first. My ethnic identity was a source of pride. While I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, I wasn’t Yoruba.

And Lagos might have been home, but Asaba was and is where I come from.

For me, and those of my ilk, our whole identity is wrapped up in our ethnic identity. You are a Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa or Fulani first, then Nigerian.

But once you set foot in America, you are Black.

It’s a shock to the system but then you get with the program, assimilate or remain fiercely African.

Or Nigerian. Not just the catch-all “black.”

I was just beginning my career around the time of the vicious Rodney King beatings at the hands of white police officers, also videotaped, and the riots that followed in 1991. I can still remember the shooting death of an unarmed African son, Amadou Diallo in 1999 in the Bronx. Forty-one shots fired, and none of the shooters, all Caucasian, got any jail time.

Even after Diallo, in 2000, Patrick Dorismond, a dad of two, brushed off an uncover officer who inquired about drugs, was shot killed outside a bar in midtown Manhattan.

That officer got off with no criminal charges.

It was 50 shots that were fired at Sean Bell in 2006 on what was to be his wedding day. At least the shooters lost their jobs.

I didn’t grow up with the indignities that my African-American brothers endure daily—but they came eventually.

I’ve learned to put white fear in its own box when coded language like “angry” is used to describe hard working black professionals.

It really stings, but it no longer surprises.

It’s not just an American issue. Years ago, I walked past a blonde guy in a bar in Amsterdam. Instinctively, he reached back to grab me and held me—making sure his wallet was still in his pocket before letting go. This was in supposedly enlightened Europe.

It stung, but didn’t surprise.

Just last week, a young Liberian woman had to school much older white people in Britain that the entire African continent isn’t infested with Ebola. That she had to ask them to check their white savior complex in 2014 was shocking to me.

I spoke on a panel about newsroom diversity right after Ferguson erupted. I told the large group of New York University students to embrace all the things that made them different, whether it was ethnic diversity or ginger hair.

One student asked me what needed to be done to make changes in our world.

I responded that I thought it the responsibility of the powerful, the majority, white folks in general, to embrace and demand fairness for those who are not like them.

And it doesn’t have to involve money. Or maybe, it does have to in these cases.

New York City has paid millions in taxpayer dollars to settle civil cases of the families of minority men that police have killed. We all deserve better than what are getting. Black lives matter and should be everyone’s concern.

I’d like to be pleasantly surprised soon.

Follow Frankie on Twitter @FrankieEdozien. We welcome your comments at ideas@qz.com.

http://www.heynaija.com/frankie-edozien-left-nigeria-25-years-ago-america-just-sees-black/

They make been black look like a curse.
But its not a curse, it d best race in the world.
Happy to be black

Proudly black

I can totally relate to this.
I am a Nigeria professional ( medical doctor) living here in the US. I am what we will generally describe in Nigeria as a senior consultant and the equivalent of a CMD in a Nigerian hospital.

I can tell you I had a humbling experience just an hour ago in Las Vegas where I am attending a conference of US medical directors.

As with most of these conferences, this one is taking place in one of the most expensive hotels here. I happen to be staying in the Spa club level (most expensive and reserved part of the hotel)
Just this morning (6:30) I wore a jeans with t-shirt and went down to get coffee (my daily routine at home before I shower) and while I was about to get back into the elevator , I was stopped by a Hispanic waiter demanding to see my key before I can get into the elevator. I asked him if this was routine and while there I can see several white folks go in and out of same elevator leading to the Spa club level, and then I realized it was racial profiling.
I immediately changed my accent to as "igbotic" as it can be and told him off. I told him that he was sick and should go look himself in the mirror. He claimed that it was for my security and those of other guests in the Spa club level.
Honestly I was so angry and felt humiliated that this happened just because I was black !!
You have to experience this first hand to understand. It could be at work , with the cops or even immigration.

As the say "east or west, home is the best". This only reinforced for me, the reason we as Africans, as Nigerians, should work hard to build our nation. Stamp out corruption, enshrine accountalibity and celebrate hard work.

Well, this time around, I guess something better will
come up.

~ Sheyi

adozie:
I can totally relate to this.
I am a Nigeria professional ( medical doctor) living here in the US. I am what we will generally describe in Nigeria as a senior consultant and the equivalent of a CMD in a Nigerian hospital.

I can tell you I had a humbling experience just an hour ago in Las Vegas where I am attending a conference of US medical directors.

As with most of these conferences, this one is taking place in one of the most expensive hotels here. I happen to be staying in the Spa club level (most expensive and reserved part of the hotel)
Just this morning (6:30) I wore a jeans with t-shirt and went down to get coffee (my daily routine at home before I shower) and while I was about to get back into the elevator , I was stopped by a Hispanic waiter demanding to see my key before I can get into the elevator. I asked him if this was routine and while there I can see several white folks go in and out of same elevator leading to the Spa club level, and then I realized it was racial profiling.
I immediately changed my accent to as "igbotic" as it can be and told him off. I told him that he was sick and should go look himself in the mirror. He claimed that it was for my security and those of other guests in the Spa club level.
Honestly I was so angry and felt humiliated that this happened just because I was black !!
You have to experience this first hand to understand. It could be at work , with the cops or even immigration.

As the say "east or west, home is the best". This only reinforced for me, the reason we as Africans, as Nigerians, should work hard to build our nation. Stamp out corruption, enshrine accountalibity and celebrate hard work.

It's all over the US. It's a human thing! I said this same thing in another topic in this forum and I am repeating it here! I quite agree with you 100% and I have experienced same thing even at work even though I work with their elite class in middle management.
However I live near South Chicago and I know what Blacks do to themselves- the black on black killing is a thousand times greater than the white on black killings but nobody says anything on that! It's ok so far it's black that kills black!
The best comment I have heard so far from a black American was made by Charles Barkley even though hypocrites were fast to condemn him.
Has anybody asked why blacks that moved up the social class ladder relocate from a black community to a white dominant community? Because it is safer for their family! Have you imagined that you won't be in the situation you experienced if there were lots of top black doctors in that conference?
We African immigrants do better than the so called African Americans because we were taught the value of hard work ! It feels odd for me to be the only "black" in my MBA class in a university located in a black dominated city like Chicago! Where are the other blacks? Some rolling dice on side street, some in gangs and some in prison!
Same with being a Nigerian in an Internet transaction. Once they identify your nationality online especially if you are tranzacting from Nigeria, everyone backs out! Should I complain? NO! Do I blame them? No! My people's reputation goes ahead of me.
I agree there is racial profiling but was it Martin Luther King Jr that said - the only way to beat them is to be better than them..we can't fight racism with mass looting and wanton destruction of properties!
Nigerian police will brutalized you and they ain't white! Don't give any cop any excuse to mistreat you! Let's play it safe!

Wise words

Goldenboy007:



It's all over the US. It's a human thing! I said this same thing in another topic in this forum and I am repeating it here! I quite agree with you 100% and I have experienced same thing even at work even though I work with their elite class in middle management.
However I live near South Chicago and I know what Blacks do to themselves- the black on black killing is a thousand times greater than the white on black killings but nobody says anything on that! It's ok so far it's black that kills black!
The best comment I have heard so far from a black American was made by Charles Barkley even though hypocrites were fast to condemn him.
Has anybody asked why blacks that moved up the social class ladder relocate from a black community to a white dominant community? Because it is safer for their family! Have you imagined that you won't be in the situation you experienced if there were lots of top black doctors in that conference?
We African immigrants do better than the so called African Americans because we were taught the value of hard work ! It feels odd for me to be the only "black" in my MBA class in a university located in a black dominated city like Chicago! Where are the other blacks? Some rolling dice on side street, some in gangs and some in prison!
Same with being a Nigerian in an Internet transaction. Once they identify your nationality online especially if you are tranzacting from Nigeria, everyone backs out! Should I complain? NO! Do I blame them? No! My people's reputation goes ahead of me.
I agree there is racial profiling but was it Martin Luther King Jr that said - the only way to beat them is to be better than them..we can't fight racism with mass looting and wanton destruction of properties!
Nigerian police will brutalized you and they ain't white! Don't give any cop any excuse to mistreat you! Let's play it safe!

Its quite unfortunate.

Goldenboy007:



It's all over the US. It's a human thing! I said this same thing in another topic in this forum and I am repeating it here! I quite agree with you 100% and I have experienced same thing even at work even though I work with their elite class in middle management.
However I live near South Chicago and I know what Blacks do to themselves- the black on black killing is a thousand times greater than the white on black killings but nobody says anything on that! It's ok so far it's black that kills black!
The best comment I have heard so far from a black American was made by Charles Barkley even though hypocrites were fast to condemn him.
Has anybody asked why blacks that moved up the social class ladder relocate from a black community to a white dominant community? Because it is safer for their family! Have you imagined that you won't be in the situation you experienced if there were lots of top black doctors in that conference?
We African immigrants do better than the so called African Americans because we were taught the value of hard work ! It feels odd for me to be the only "black" in my MBA class in a university located in a black dominated city like Chicago! Where are the other blacks? Some rolling dice on side street, some in gangs and some in prison!
Same with being a Nigerian in an Internet transaction. Once they identify your nationality online especially if you are tranzacting from Nigeria, everyone backs out! Should I complain? NO! Do I blame them? No! My people's reputation goes ahead of me.
I agree there is racial profiling but was it Martin Luther King Jr that said - the only way to beat them is to be better than them..we can't fight racism with mass looting and wanton destruction of properties!
Nigerian police will brutalized you and they ain't white! Don't give any cop any excuse to mistreat you! Let's play it safe!

Hello sir, I read some of your posts and I'm motivated by them. I'd like to have you as a friend here on NL. Thanks