I remember walking into one of my university classrooms at a very early
university classrooms at a very early
university classrooms at a very early day in September at the very beginning
day in September at the very beginning
day in September at the very beginning of my junior year I had just one of my
of my junior year I had just one of my
of my junior year I had just one of my chains on and a fitted cap slightly
chains on and a fitted cap slightly
chains on and a fitted cap slightly tilted to the back my drawings were
tilted to the back my drawings were
tilted to the back my drawings were fresh and the belt holding up my pants
fresh and the belt holding up my pants
fresh and the belt holding up my pants was somewhere around the middle of my
was somewhere around the middle of my
was somewhere around the middle of my Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the
Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the
Tommy boxers I hadn’t yet turn off the music that you could hear blasting
music that you could hear blasting
music that you could hear blasting through the headphones around my neck a
through the headphones around my neck a
through the headphones around my neck a milli a milli a milli I’m a young money
milli a milli a milli I’m a young money
milli a milli a milli I’m a young money million they’re tougher than Nigerian
million they’re tougher than Nigerian
million they’re tougher than Nigerian hair Lil Wayne was popping that year
hair Lil Wayne was popping that year
hair Lil Wayne was popping that year of course I strolled in late as usual I
of course I strolled in late as usual I
of course I strolled in late as usual I was merely repeating my regimen the
was merely repeating my regimen the
was merely repeating my regimen the patterns of my tried and tested high
patterns of my tried and tested high
patterns of my tried and tested high school routine that I developed and used
school routine that I developed and used
school routine that I developed and used to project and assert my identity by
to project and assert my identity by
to project and assert my identity by repeating these behaviors I felt that
repeating these behaviors I felt that
repeating these behaviors I felt that created a sense of self and also a sense
created a sense of self and also a sense
created a sense of self and also a sense of space within a classroom but a
of space within a classroom but a
of space within a classroom but a strange thing happened that day in
strange thing happened that day in
strange thing happened that day in university in fact had been happening
university in fact had been happening
university in fact had been happening for a little while pretty much since I
for a little while pretty much since I
for a little while pretty much since I began walking into university classrooms
began walking into university classrooms
began walking into university classrooms as a freshman see I will come to class
as a freshman see I will come to class
as a freshman see I will come to class late on a routine basis hat on still
late on a routine basis hat on still
late on a routine basis hat on still playing my music and passively looking
playing my music and passively looking
playing my music and passively looking around for attention yeah yeah I’m here
around for attention yeah yeah I’m here
around for attention yeah yeah I’m here it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care
it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care
it’s me get it the guy who doesn’t care about school now look at me make my
about school now look at me make my
about school now look at me make my entrance and please please tell me what
entrance and please please tell me what
entrance and please please tell me what I’m doing wrong
I’m doing wrong
I’m doing wrong I dared them in fact I thrived off of
I dared them in fact I thrived off of
I dared them in fact I thrived off of that type of interaction and these were
that type of interaction and these were
that type of interaction and these were the subconscious thoughts trickling
the subconscious thoughts trickling
the subconscious thoughts trickling through my 19 year old psyche as I
through my 19 year old psyche as I
through my 19 year old psyche as I twisted that doorknob and smugly walked
twisted that doorknob and smugly walked
twisted that doorknob and smugly walked to an open seat in the class but there
to an open seat in the class but there
to an open seat in the class but there is a difference I was experiencing
is a difference I was experiencing
is a difference I was experiencing between my high school days and now
between my high school days and now
between my high school days and now University the difference was that every
University the difference was that every
University the difference was that every time I now performed my presence no one
time I now performed my presence no one
time I now performed my presence no one seemed to care there are no looks of
seemed to care there are no looks of
seemed to care there are no looks of comical relief or supplanted
comical relief or supplanted
comical relief or supplanted appreciation from my peers or even
appreciation from my peers or even
appreciation from my peers or even hostile attention from the professor it
hostile attention from the professor it
hostile attention from the professor it felt as though the collective
felt as though the collective
felt as though the collective consciousness of the University room was
consciousness of the University room was
consciousness of the University room was whispering keep your damn head
whispering keep your damn head
whispering keep your damn head and wear your pants however you want
and wear your pants however you want
and wear your pants however you want whoever your name is we barely notice
whoever your name is we barely notice
whoever your name is we barely notice and hardly care in high school this
and hardly care in high school this
and hardly care in high school this performance would yield a completely
performance would yield a completely
performance would yield a completely opposite experience see back then
opposite experience see back then
opposite experience see back then finding my place within that school
finding my place within that school
finding my place within that school setting meant navigating it by
setting meant navigating it by
setting meant navigating it by indicating my need to belong to an urban
indicating my need to belong to an urban
indicating my need to belong to an urban black collective or to say it more
black collective or to say it more
black collective or to say it more simply embodying the hip-hop culture
simply embodying the hip-hop culture
simply embodying the hip-hop culture that I cherished the challenge is that
that I cherished the challenge is that
that I cherished the challenge is that the culture most urban black males
the culture most urban black males
the culture most urban black males ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as
ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as
ascribed to hip-hop culture is viewed as the opposite of implicit school culture
the opposite of implicit school culture
the opposite of implicit school culture hip-hop culture is viewed as the
hip-hop culture is viewed as the
hip-hop culture is viewed as the opposite of implicit school culture you
opposite of implicit school culture you
opposite of implicit school culture you see it’s not necessarily the history
see it’s not necessarily the history
see it’s not necessarily the history textbooks that aren’t reflective of our
textbooks that aren’t reflective of our
textbooks that aren’t reflective of our faces or the English assignments are
faces or the English assignments are
faces or the English assignments are silenced particular ways in which we
silenced particular ways in which we
silenced particular ways in which we make meaning but rather how schooling
make meaning but rather how schooling
make meaning but rather how schooling doubles down on media discourses about
doubles down on media discourses about
doubles down on media discourses about urban black males in hip-hop and the
urban black males in hip-hop and the
urban black males in hip-hop and the subsequent mechanisms that then foster
subsequent mechanisms that then foster
subsequent mechanisms that then foster our alienation from school in turn many
our alienation from school in turn many
our alienation from school in turn many black males react to the subjugation by
black males react to the subjugation by
black males react to the subjugation by passively rejecting the school as a
passively rejecting the school as a
passively rejecting the school as a whole look my high school had a no
whole look my high school had a no
whole look my high school had a no headgear policy so naturally I want my
headgear policy so naturally I want my
headgear policy so naturally I want my hat all the damn time I knew that the
hat all the damn time I knew that the
hat all the damn time I knew that the small instance of disrupting the school
small instance of disrupting the school
small instance of disrupting the school culture would garner attention and
culture would garner attention and
culture would garner attention and elicit that black male validation I was
elicit that black male validation I was
elicit that black male validation I was desperately trying to claim we had four
desperately trying to claim we had four
desperately trying to claim we had four periods a day and I will come late to
periods a day and I will come late to
periods a day and I will come late to every single one of them
every single one of them
every single one of them why because I knew that my teacher would
why because I knew that my teacher would
why because I knew that my teacher would say something to me that be able to
say something to me that be able to
say something to me that be able to either rudely retort or nonchalantly
either rudely retort or nonchalantly
either rudely retort or nonchalantly brush-off and once again assert my
brush-off and once again assert my
brush-off and once again assert my identity internally I was resisting a
identity internally I was resisting a
identity internally I was resisting a culture that was implicitly devaluing me
culture that was implicitly devaluing me
culture that was implicitly devaluing me Shu
Shu
Shu even when I did answer a question in
even when I did answer a question in
even when I did answer a question in class attributing my participation to my
class attributing my participation to my
class attributing my participation to my boys to the fact that I actually studied
boys to the fact that I actually studied
boys to the fact that I actually studied the content was the last thing I wanted
the content was the last thing I wanted
the content was the last thing I wanted to do as a high school kid see these
to do as a high school kid see these
to do as a high school kid see these small instances of getting attention for
small instances of getting attention for
small instances of getting attention for acting out were merely the validation I
acting out were merely the validation I
acting out were merely the validation I needed to be seen as you
needed to be seen as you
needed to be seen as you cool and black but even these subtle
cool and black but even these subtle
cool and black but even these subtle moments let me to feel slightly
moments let me to feel slightly
moments let me to feel slightly uncomfortable in that space you see the
uncomfortable in that space you see the
uncomfortable in that space you see the constant friction between attaining
constant friction between attaining
constant friction between attaining academic excellence and blackmail
academic excellence and blackmail
academic excellence and blackmail validation reveals an internal friction
validation reveals an internal friction
validation reveals an internal friction that implicitly suggests that once one
that implicitly suggests that once one
that implicitly suggests that once one does excel in academics
does excel in academics
does excel in academics it almost unfortunately feels like he’s
it almost unfortunately feels like he’s
it almost unfortunately feels like he’s abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I
abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I
abandoning part of his hip-hop culture I call this the Fresh Prince syndrome
call this the Fresh Prince syndrome
call this the Fresh Prince syndrome remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince
remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince
remember Will Smith on The Fresh Prince of bel-air he was the class clown the
of bel-air he was the class clown the
of bel-air he was the class clown the star of the basketball team the
star of the basketball team the
star of the basketball team the confidence suave talkin flirt and he was
confidence suave talkin flirt and he was
confidence suave talkin flirt and he was always fly instead of wearing his blades
always fly instead of wearing his blades
always fly instead of wearing his blades are like every other guy he turned his
are like every other guy he turned his
are like every other guy he turned his inside out to showcase his urban
inside out to showcase his urban
inside out to showcase his urban aesthetic style will represented that
aesthetic style will represented that
aesthetic style will represented that quintessential young urban black male
quintessential young urban black male
quintessential young urban black male and we could come up with a dozen more
and we could come up with a dozen more
and we could come up with a dozen more character traits about Will in The Fresh
character traits about Will in The Fresh
character traits about Will in The Fresh Prince but not one of them would embody
Prince but not one of them would embody
Prince but not one of them would embody what we idealize as the universal
what we idealize as the universal
what we idealize as the universal student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a
student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a
student The Fresh Prince syndrome is a benevolent ailment that plagues urban
benevolent ailment that plagues urban
benevolent ailment that plagues urban black males but wait for the kicker it’s
black males but wait for the kicker it’s
black males but wait for the kicker it’s caused by traditional schooling you see
caused by traditional schooling you see
caused by traditional schooling you see hegemonic schooling practices are set up
hegemonic schooling practices are set up
hegemonic schooling practices are set up in a way that’s meant to deceive and
in a way that’s meant to deceive and
in a way that’s meant to deceive and ultimately fail black boys in the long
ultimately fail black boys in the long
ultimately fail black boys in the long run school insidiously teaches urban
run school insidiously teaches urban
run school insidiously teaches urban black males to be less urban the things
black males to be less urban the things
black males to be less urban the things that hip-hop culture
that hip-hop culture
that hip-hop culture emphasized things like bravado and
emphasized things like bravado and
emphasized things like bravado and identity and being heard are squashed
identity and being heard are squashed
identity and being heard are squashed out in our classrooms we’re told that
out in our classrooms we’re told that
out in our classrooms we’re told that our modes of communication are
our modes of communication are
our modes of communication are illegitimate we’re reminded that the way
illegitimate we’re reminded that the way
illegitimate we’re reminded that the way we dress won’t be accepted once we get
we dress won’t be accepted once we get
we dress won’t be accepted once we get into the real world ultimately the
into the real world ultimately the
into the real world ultimately the school alienates urban black males
school alienates urban black males
school alienates urban black males creating a fractured authenticity and
creating a fractured authenticity and
creating a fractured authenticity and the black male subconsciously is
the black male subconsciously is
the black male subconsciously is internalizing this but listen there is a
internalizing this but listen there is a
internalizing this but listen there is a cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we
cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we
cure to this Fresh Prince syndrome if we consider the University space in
consider the University space in
consider the University space in relation to the high school one we may
relation to the high school one we may
relation to the high school one we may be able to come up with
be able to come up with
be able to come up with whew those remedies you see in
whew those remedies you see in
whew those remedies you see in university the performances that I
university the performances that I
university the performances that I enacted from high school were met
enacted from high school were met
enacted from high school were met completely differently in fact their
completely differently in fact their
completely differently in fact their performance that I had learned to enact
performance that I had learned to enact
performance that I had learned to enact when I did it in university it was met
when I did it in university it was met
when I did it in university it was met with indifference and you know what
with indifference and you know what
with indifference and you know what happened because of this I stopped using
happened because of this I stopped using
happened because of this I stopped using the school as a site to explicitly
the school as a site to explicitly
the school as a site to explicitly perform my black hood masculinity it
perform my black hood masculinity it
perform my black hood masculinity it didn’t change how I dressed or how I
didn’t change how I dressed or how I
didn’t change how I dressed or how I talked but it changed how I navigated
talked but it changed how I navigated
talked but it changed how I navigated that school space because the university
that school space because the university
that school space because the university is so lacks in everything outside of the
is so lacks in everything outside of the
is so lacks in everything outside of the actual academics I was able to truly be
actual academics I was able to truly be
actual academics I was able to truly be myself and focus on said academics so if
myself and focus on said academics so if
myself and focus on said academics so if we took the best of what the University
we took the best of what the University
we took the best of what the University site provides outside of the academics
site provides outside of the academics
site provides outside of the academics and took the best of what the high
and took the best of what the high
and took the best of what the high school space provides for a growing
school space provides for a growing
school space provides for a growing intellectual teenagers we may arrive at
intellectual teenagers we may arrive at
intellectual teenagers we may arrive at a space that retains and engages more
a space that retains and engages more
a space that retains and engages more urban black boys and it pushes out and
urban black boys and it pushes out and
urban black boys and it pushes out and we can start with a few simple things
we can start with a few simple things
we can start with a few simple things high schools must become more lacks with
high schools must become more lacks with
high schools must become more lacks with their explicit rules pertaining to
their explicit rules pertaining to
their explicit rules pertaining to implicit curriculum for example hats and
implicit curriculum for example hats and
implicit curriculum for example hats and particular dress codes constant
particular dress codes constant
particular dress codes constant surveillance and subtle monitoring
surveillance and subtle monitoring
surveillance and subtle monitoring immediately addressing lateness in front
immediately addressing lateness in front
immediately addressing lateness in front of an entire class autonomous teaching
of an entire class autonomous teaching
of an entire class autonomous teaching practices and stereotypical perceptions
practices and stereotypical perceptions
practices and stereotypical perceptions are all things that must go by the
are all things that must go by the
are all things that must go by the wayside if we truly want to foster young
wayside if we truly want to foster young
wayside if we truly want to foster young black geniuses and create spaces in
black geniuses and create spaces in
black geniuses and create spaces in which the performance of black
which the performance of black
which the performance of black masculinity is not taken up by these
masculinity is not taken up by these
masculinity is not taken up by these kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic
kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic
kids solely as a reaction to hegemonic resistance look I’m a teacher and as
resistance look I’m a teacher and as
resistance look I’m a teacher and as teachers I know that we must make sure
teachers I know that we must make sure
teachers I know that we must make sure our students are able to produce
our students are able to produce
our students are able to produce well-structured essays and understand
well-structured essays and understand
well-structured essays and understand the concepts of science and answer
the concepts of science and answer
the concepts of science and answer questions in geometry and algebra but
questions in geometry and algebra but
questions in geometry and algebra but perhaps more important than those things
perhaps more important than those things
perhaps more important than those things we must be able to personally connect
we must be able to personally connect
we must be able to personally connect with each and every one of our students
with each and every one of our students
with each and every one of our students in a way that validates everyone I like
in a way that validates everyone I like
in a way that validates everyone I like to call our best and brightest teachers
to call our best and brightest teachers
to call our best and brightest teachers culture blenders where student agency
culture blenders where student agency
culture blenders where student agency academic excellence and validation
academic excellence and validation
academic excellence and validation independent of superficial performances
independent of superficial performances
independent of superficial performances are the most pressing
are the most pressing
are the most pressing cultures that they push to establish and
cultures that they push to establish and
cultures that they push to establish and when it comes to our black boys when we
when it comes to our black boys when we
when it comes to our black boys when we really begin to consider the complicated
really begin to consider the complicated
really begin to consider the complicated politics of representation by
politics of representation by
politics of representation by understanding the ways in which black
understanding the ways in which black
understanding the ways in which black males refuse by whatever means to allow
males refuse by whatever means to allow
males refuse by whatever means to allow others to other them will be able to
others to other them will be able to
others to other them will be able to present a space in a schooling in which
present a space in a schooling in which
present a space in a schooling in which black masculinity is defined more so by
black masculinity is defined more so by
black masculinity is defined more so by a both/and dichotomy that considers the
a both/and dichotomy that considers the
a both/and dichotomy that considers the complexity of all identity this Fresh
complexity of all identity this Fresh
complexity of all identity this Fresh Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed
Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed
Prince syndrome has been an undiagnosed disease in our schools for decades if we
disease in our schools for decades if we
disease in our schools for decades if we make a few of these changes perhaps we
make a few of these changes perhaps we
make a few of these changes perhaps we could finally eradicate it thank you
could finally eradicate it thank you
could finally eradicate it thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment