David, Katherine, others:  

 

At an open-mike session following a Native American Education Success
Recognition Dinner a couple of years ago, the largely Native American
audience was challenged with coming up with terms to signify dominant
culture people using the "people of color" pattern.  This was all in the
spirit of good-natured ribbing, because everyone there  certainly
appreciated all the help that non-Indians have provided and continue to
provide to Indian kids.  

 

Some of the terms do help to show why a term like "people of color" is
so imprecise and makes people  uncomfortable:  "people who can't jump,
people of the suburbs, people of the RV, people who live to work, people
of plastic, people of the frown", etc.  

 

The stereotype of not being able to jump, always frowning, coming from
the suburbs, living to work , etc.  which dominant culture  people might
recognize, but probably wouldn't want to be described as.  These
associations are  a caricature in the same way that "people of color" is
a caricature.

 

I've always found it interesting that the names people give themselves
always seems to have the word  "people" in  them, like Squaxin, a tribe
here on Puget Sound in Washington State  which means "people of the
water".

 

Michael

 

 

From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Katherine
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:00 AM
To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1960] Re: words

 

David, how do we know, then, what words to use on lists like these?

 

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: David J. Rosen <mailto:djrosen at comcast.net>  

	To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List
<mailto:povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>  

	Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:49 AM

	Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1955] words

	 

	Colleagues,

	 

	Some thoughts on words like "minority," "people of color," and
what groups of people should be called:

	 

	*  Several years ago an African American legislator in
Massachusetts explained that just as no legislator wants to be in the
"minority" party -- the party out of power -- African Americans do not
want to be referred to as "minorities".  Of course, some "minorities" in
the U.S. are an overwhelming "majority" in other counties, and in the
world as a whole. 

	 

	*  The term "People of color" is a strategy for unifying those
in the U.S. who face discrimination based on the color of their skin, or
not being white. "People of color" is an inclusive term, one that is
intended to build alliances of groups with shared goals or perspectives.

	 

	*  People should be called what they want to be called.  Some
people in the U.S. prefer to be called "black," some "African American,"
some "person of color". Some prefer "Hispanic," some "Latino." Some
"European-Americans"  or "Caucasians" like to be referred to with
hyphenated names like "Italian-American" . In other countries, that
differs greatly. If you don't know, the best way to know what group name
a person prefers is to ask her/him. 

	 

	David J. Rosen

	djrosen at comcast.net

	 

	 

	 

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