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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Do you mispronounce and look down on black names?

What would you think of a black man named Mark versus a black man name DeMarcus?

Do you think Mark was raised by a college educated nuclear black family, or was he adopted? Did DeMarcus grow up in subsidized housing never knowing his father?

My name is Arabic, traditionally used in the black community.  After my freshman year of college  I went by the nickname Nicole and the change was obvious.  I was still a black woman, but so there was a privilege in going by Nicole.

I had my children, and gave them top 100 Euro-centralist names, believing this was better for them.

My daughter has friend, a white child from an upper middle class family, named Karsynne.  My son has a boy in his class named Wolff. I know so many white kids with names that are absolutely bizarre, completely made up and I want to kick myself for not naming my daughter Iesha.  I thought I could erase a bit of their blackness, and it would help them navigate.

Seeing my Michael next to a blue eyed, blonde haired little boy named Maverick and I just have to laugh.    [/quote]

I may mispronounce a name and but I expect to be politely corrected if that happens. I don't look down on black names. I don't look down on names with cultural or family significance. I like to see Ashlees, Kaden's and Karsynnes succeed at life- having almost been a Tiffanie myself, a frivolous name would have girded my loins.

I personally knew a DeMarcus years ago, and he was a tall drink of water. I have a special place in my heart for DeMarcus.

No, I wouldn't assume DeMarcus or Iesha came from subsidized housing, and considering I grew up with a single mom and we barely stayed above the poverty level I wouldn't care. I'm not "better" than a DeMarcus or an Ashlee or a Karsynne. I'm not better than anyone. [/quote]

pp here again- I'm reading the other comments- it's food for thought. I'll stick with the *I* statements in my post, but respect everyone's experiences- the statement about tossing a resume because of a name really got to me. Literally, I was recently looking for a job after being at home with my son, and you can see that even the most mundane part time positions have dozens, sometimes hundreds of applicants. I hate that anyone has to think that way. It's unjust. [/quote]
It's been that way forever with resumes and names. I don't know why people continue to act surprised when it happens. We, as a people/nation are not above doing it and never have been.[/quote]

Yes, it makes sense. I wanted a traditional name for my son to promote an image of competence and leadership- I never thought about names in the context of racial and ethnic bias when making interview decisions-- it's a new, unpleasant dimension to consider.  The goal of dialogue is to learn. [/quote]

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