Today I got my daughter signed into a summer program of a pre-school Rosa had been trying to get her son into for months. They have been causing her great pain with all their strict policies and no-exceptions administration. Since the child care center is part of a CUNY college, they usually only accept students within their system. When Maia’s usual daycare center unexpectedly cancelled the summer session, I took a chance and gave them a call. On their website it said that in the summer months they’d maybe make an exception and take students from other CUNY colleges, if there is space.
Rosa is now totally pissed. She had been on the waiting list for a year or more. When she tried to register for a class at the school they were giving her hell because she couldn’t produce every transcript from every single school she ever went to. The fact that she graduated from Fordham (i.e. has transcripts and degree) didn't seem to matter. They wanted everything before they’d let her sign up for a class… and policy at the daycare center is that the child’s parent is a student at the college.
She was so mad that it took me only a phone call and a few easy documents that she swore they let me in because I’m white. And that comment just really pissed me off. First of all, I might look white but I don’t like to be thrown into a pot. I’m a half Arab raised Muslim in a country which is 98% Catholic (Austria), moved from there straight to the Bronx where I once again was the only outsider in a sea of Latinos. So, don’t tell me about discrimination or privilege. I know it when it hits me. I’ve been discriminated against many times. The reason I dyed my hair from blonde to black after moving here, was so that I could finally fit in better. And I can tell you, the way people treated me improved tremendously.
I hate fucking racism. I hate getting or not getting anything because of what I might look like. Of course, I’ve also experienced the other side of this story, where I had a strong feeling I got a break because I look/am Caucasian and the other person is, too.
This is a loaded argument and so it was for us fighting it out all evening but Rosa sounds more White-American (and she is Puerto Rican) than I do. She grew up here, went to Fordham, …her pronunciation is accent-free, …. As opposed to mine; People often think I am Latino (over the phone) because that’s the accent I picked up after coming here. I moved straight into the Bronx… and for a long time I sounded really freakin’ street. I can control this better now… mostly because I have broadened my circle of friends and am more aware of my diction but before I used to always fool people over the phone. I could see the surprise in their faces when they’d meet me after only having spoken to me on the phone.
This is what happened in this situation. I called them (the child care center) first. So, if anything, she might have given me a break because I sounded like a fellow-Latino…. But, truly, I don’t think any of this racial crap was an issue. Yes, I often am too idealistic but not everything is an issue of discrimination… especially not in New York City.
I am not trying to say there is no discrimination here. I have plenty of black friends who can sing me a song of this but you can’t throw this explanation at every situation which you find irrational or unfair. Sometimes it is just that. Irrational or unfair. Like my temporary admission to the summer session. The girl I spoke to seemed scatter-brained and somehow I got lucky. It is only the summer and they even say on their website that things are a bit more lenient during those sessions.
Rosa telling me this, was like telling a black person that they only got the job they applied for because they’re black (->Affirmative Action). That sh*t pisses me off, too. I just think, this just doesn’t apply anymore….OK, maybe elsewhere in this country ...but not in NYC…... or does it??
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