Southern-Style Racism

It is hard to believe, but my husband and I have officially begun our long journey to Cabo Verde. First Stop: the Brown residence.

Being back in Georgia is bittersweet. We are good and grown, and folks are so used to me living away that they don’t really get excited to see me when I return. I mean, where is my surprise party? Where is my gaggle of family members anxiously awaiting my return in the arrivals hall?

This is unfair to my family who loves me very dearly, but my mama an’ nem don’t read the blog no way so I’ll just continue to be petty until they do, lol!

So, we are here in this home in the woods buttressed by animal farms and, for the first time, I am super excited to be here because this home means freedom from the ravages of the coronavirus. I don’t mean Atlanta and I don’t mean Georgia, both of which are suffering dramatic coronavirus case increases, but specifically the very rural town I live in. We have a big back yard and a creek with trees and deer and all kinds of critters that drive Bae up the wall, lol. And although the bugs seem to be training to be ninja warriors, we are having a good time being one with nature.

One thing I was really looking forward to is my daily walk around the neighborhood. However, I was not even half way through my first walk when I realized that although I had escaped the Rona, I hadn’t escaped racism in all of its many forms. I mean, duh! We are in rural Georgia so of course there is racism. But for once, I would like to step out of my door and not die a tortuous death by racialized microaggression.

Picture it, Sicily, 1920: I start my walk around the neighborhood which is a gigantic, 1.5 mile circle. The neighborhood has exactly one black family but all of a sudden the negro population increased by 20 percent with my arrival. The mostly older, mostly white, mostly affluent neighbors are going on their own walks or are driving past to make their way to work or wherever.

Being a southern gentleman, I know to always smile and wave because folks may be racist, but damn it they have manners.

Also, if I don’t … someone is calling the police.

So everyone categorically smiles and waves at me as I walk my sexy ass through the neighborhood. I’m thinking to myself … “self, maybe things aren’t so bad after all!”

The universe said “hold my beer.”

I was actually out with Bae when a younger couple in a golf cart and a dog drove past us. We gave the customary smile and wave the first time. Then the second time. Then the third time.

Now … can anyone take a guess as to why they were just rolling around the neighborhood? And no, we do not have a neighborhood watch.

I was unnerved. I was scared. It reminded of Trayvon Martin who was shot by a neighbor. Or Ahmaud Arbery who was killed whilst jogging.

I have been conditioned to be afraid. I normally like getting my exercise in as soon as I wake up which is at least before the sun goes up. But after this little drive by, I decided to wait for the sun to rise lest my neighbors mistake me for someone who “didn’t belong.”

I hold 401 years of black tragedy in my DNA and am immediately sent into flight or fight mode when all I want to do is walk, mama!

Now we have only been here a few days, but an honorable mention in the bigot olympics goes to the cars that slow down to check me out before speeding off and to the woman who was genuinely shocked to see me in the neighborhood walking again. And a hearty fuck you goes to the folks who called the police on my family for simply being in the neighborhood. The cop happened to know my father and politely told the caller that our family was one of the first to even move into the neighborhood.

There is so much work to be done. I know other things are happening in the world, but I urge you to fight for the marginalized. Fight for black folks. Fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. Fight for the poor. The fight is not over and we need your love, your understanding, your donations, your prayers.

I’m tired, but I love y’all!

Peace and blessings,

the trendy one …

——

ps - please check out the latest episode of “The Family We Choose Podcast”