I'm an African American. Ask me anything.

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Do you know vegetarian AAs? What about serious environmentalists who are AAs? AA friends who are part of those weekend warrior bikers riding around in spandex?


Don't know any vegetarian AAs. I grew up in a low-income area and you eat what you've been given. Have not met any in my adult life, either.

Don't know any AAs that are serious environmentalists. Which is ironic because I work at a non-profit that's all about conservation. I'm not passionate about it; I'm more on the administrative/marketing side of the issue vs program. There are some AAs at my job who are interested in the environment; wouldn't say any of them are serious and/or passionate.

Don't know any bike warriors. I think most cyclists kick ass! I'm not that outdoorsy, so I stick with stationery bikes, whenever I can get motivated enough to move my ass.
ManHere
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Anonymous wrote:
ManHere wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you know vegetarian AAs? What about serious environmentalists who are AAs? AA friends who are part of those weekend warrior bikers riding around in spandex?

OP Here. I know a few AA vegetarians but not many. Don't know any serious AA environmentalists. Yes, I am a serious bicyclist and it's not spandex (but I know what you mean). I see many AAs on the bike trails and on group rides in this area (and yes, we all wave and say "hi" when we pass each other 8)).


Just the AAs or all other people on the trails?

Maybe Jeff can add a tongue-in-cheek emoticon. I was referencing an earlier question.
Anonymous
ManHere wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
ManHere wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you know vegetarian AAs? What about serious environmentalists who are AAs? AA friends who are part of those weekend warrior bikers riding around in spandex?

OP Here. I know a few AA vegetarians but not many. Don't know any serious AA environmentalists. Yes, I am a serious bicyclist and it's not spandex (but I know what you mean). I see many AAs on the bike trails and on group rides in this area (and yes, we all wave and say "hi" when we pass each other 8)).


Just the AAs or all other people on the trails?

Maybe Jeff can add a tongue-in-cheek emoticon. I was referencing an earlier question.


I thought maybe it was like boating.
Anonymous
Would you resent or dislike being called or considered a role model for other AAs if you were very financially successful?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Are your babies born with blue eyes like caucasian babies?


None of my children had blue eyes. That probably would've freaked me out! LOL

-AA female


But bi-racial AAs have green and hazel eyes.


Not all of them! Have you seen the President's eyes?


my biracial DD was born with brown eyes and still has brown eyes, even though her skin is completely white like her father, much to my chagrin.


I'm moderately dark skinned and have two sons. The first was born looking like a typical white baby (except with a ton of hair), and had blue eyes that darkened to grey and settled on the same green as his father's. The second, who looks like me only much lighter, was born with brown eyes. Genes are funny like that.
Anonymous
Um, many of these mixed race children as described by their black family members say that their skin is white. The white family memebrs would describe the same child as brown or black.
My mixed race kids do not look white. They look like a mixture betweem myself and my husband.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Would you resent or dislike being called or considered a role model for other AAs if you were very financially successful?


I wouldn't be offended. I think it's important for black people, especially young black people, to see that we can be successful outside of the sports and entertainment world.

The problem is that some AAs who "make it" are not interested in being these role models. Some exhibit the same behavior that I described earlier about foreigners/-non AA blacks. They seek ways to set themselves apart as if to point out "I'm not like them; I'm different". Black kids are a lot of things and one of them is intuitive...they can spot a patronizing attitude from a mile away. And because of this, it's very hard to become role models to them because they no longer feel you're "one of them".

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Um, many of these mixed race children as described by their black family members say that their skin is white. The white family memebrs would describe the same child as brown or black.
My mixed race kids do not look white. They look like a mixture betweem myself and my husband.


I've met many mixed raced children who, even though they may look white, there is still always something about them lets you know they are mixed. Could be hair, lips, anything.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Would you resent or dislike being called or considered a role model for other AAs if you were very financially successful?


I wouldn't be offended. I think it's important for black people, especially young black people, to see that we can be successful outside of the sports and entertainment world.The problem is that some AAs who "make it" are not interested in being these role models. Some exhibit the same behavior that I described earlier about foreigners/-non AA blacks. They seek ways to set themselves apart as if to point out "I'm not like them; I'm different". Black kids are a lot of things and one of them is intuitive...they can spot a patronizing attitude from a mile away. And because of this, it's very hard to become role models to them because they no longer feel you're "one of them".



Thank you, I wish more of our AA kids can understand this.
Anonymous
Do you have friends who work in STEM fields? If so, did they go to college and what was their major?
ManHere
Member Offline
Anonymous wrote:Do you have friends who work in STEM fields? If so, did they go to college and what was their major?

Yes. A handfull of friends. Most majored in engineering, math, premed, etc. and went to grad school. Wasn't my path so I don't have a lot of info to give you.
Anonymous
ManHere wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Do you have friends who work in STEM fields? If so, did they go to college and what was their major?

Yes. A handfull of friends. Most majored in engineering, math, premed, etc. and went to grad school. Wasn't my path so I don't have a lot of info to give you.


Follow up. Do you know if they are smart and did well in school?
Anonymous
I was told by a doctor friend that some older black patients do not want to be seen by a black doctor. They will insist on a white doctor.

Have you seen/ heard of this, and can you speculate on why a white doctor is supposed to be better than a black one, in the eyes of some black patients?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Do you have friends who work in STEM fields? If so, did they go to college and what was their major?


Sister in tech. She did well, to answer your follow-up question, and she's quite smart.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I was told by a doctor friend that some older black patients do not want to be seen by a black doctor. They will insist on a white doctor.

Have you seen/ heard of this, and can you speculate on why a white doctor is supposed to be better than a black one, in the eyes of some black patients?


This is just speculation, but perhaps they grew up under Jim Crow and had the mistken belief that "the white man's ice was colder." In this case, that white doctors are smarter and more able than black doctors.

So after integration, they flocked to what had always been withheld, believing that it was superior to all that they previously had access to. Perhaps they still hold the belief that members of their own race aren't as competent as other races.
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