The Token Black Guy

Our assignment this week was to create a photo illustration that could be used for a possible news story. It was initially difficult for me to come up with possible illustrations for a story that didn't exist and was in the realm of possibility to construct. Eventually, I decided I wanted to illustrate the experience of my roommate, Jason, as a black man living and socializing in a predominately white community. I rented some lights, invited some friends over and had my first photo shoot in a makeshift studio in our cleared out kitchen. On a broader scale, this idea and project was intended to be a social commentary of sorts on the continued existence of racism in communities that pride themselves on being tolerant to all. In the end it turned into more of the telling of one persons life and my illustration became more of a portrait. This is a different kind of photography from any other photojournalism I have done and it was one that clearly takes a refined skill. In the future I would love to have more "studio" shoots and work on this kind of creational observation. This is where pictures become art and a field of photography in which, I hope to improve at over time. 

For now though I am happy with the experience and pleased with some of the shots I got. A big thanks to everyone who helped: Jason Fitz, Leanne Sebren, Forrest Gilchrist, Michelle Guy, Griffin Day, Jimmy Kosta, Josh Langland and Chadd Tripp. 

                                                                                                                       

Jason Fitz, 22, has long been one of the only black guys around. Born in Recife, Brazil and adopted at the age of nine months, Fitz was brought to America and grew up on Whidbey Island in Washington’s Puget Sound.

Located in Island County, Whidbey Island is a predominately white community. Of Island County’s 77,000 residents, only 13.73% classified themselves as minorities, and only 1.6% of those minorities identified as Black or African American, according to data from the 2005 American Community Survey.

The “token black guy,” more generally referred to as tokenism (the inclusion of ethnicity or gender diversity where it may not be normally seen) has long been a practice of the American media and with good reason, to include a break from a predominately white, all male, all female etc., cast.  Interestingly enough, most of us have known that “token” person.

For the majority of the 98.4% whites on Island County, little to no attention is paid to this interesting social construction and it may only exist as a passing observation or joke between friends, however, is the experience the same for that one, “token,” person?

“I struggled with it more in early middle school when everyone is trying to fit in and be normal,” said Fitz. “ It was kind of hard when you’re the only black kid.”

“The biggest times I really felt racism growing up on the Island was when I would meet parents of girlfriends,” he said. “But then again, maybe that wasn’t the race thing.”

Nowadays, being one of the only black guys around rarely crosses Fitz’s mind, yet there are still times when he is bothered by what can clearly be perceived as under the radar racism.

“Sometimes when I go to parties and I am clearly the only black person there, I just get vibes from people.”

“I have had people make comments that only I will hear,” he said. “ Sometimes I’ll be sitting in class as the only black guy, and a professor will say something about race and everyone will just turn their heads and give me the stank eye; Yup, hi, I am the only black guy.”

As Americans, many of us tend to think that racism, gender, sexual, religious and other types of discriminations are attitudes of the past, long overcome by the millions who fought for equal rights and fair treatment; however, this is not the case.

For many, there will always be that one token friend - girl, guy, Black, White, Asian, gay, straight, Jewish, or Catholic; they don’t go away. In a very real sense, this is good for us.  We don’t need to be more sensitive or watch out for them, we don’t need to feel bad or act differently around them, we don’t need to be anything more than we already are – a friend.