Part 2 - Black Lives Matter: A Conversation Between Diaspora Hararis
Please find Part 1 of this article here.
Wahib
Earlier, you mentioned that our community is the place where we can make the most change. Something I have noticed is that as Hararis we often aim to distance ourselves from the ‘Black label’, often classifying our identity as Harari, then Ethiopian and then finally as Black. However, it is very naive of us to think this is the same way the outside world perceives us. What are your thoughts on the matter?
Safiah
I agree. Distancing ourselves from being labeled as Black at this moment is both inaccurate and counterproductive, as we are often perceived as the same and we should be standing united with other Black communities against racism. However, I also want to acknowledge that although we face racism as Hararis, we are first and second generation immigrants, meaning we do not have the same shared history of enslavement, segregation, and institutionalized racism as our African American counterparts.
This is not to say that we did not face oppressive structures in our homeland, which, for many, resulted in our parents seeking asylum or immigrating to other countries in the first place. Rather, it is extremely important to understand that it is because African Americans endured that generational struggle that we are able to live here today.
Recognizing this privilege is especially crucial when discussing future steps meant to make amends for the past, like reparations. For example, our privilege is illustrated by the fact that foreign-born Blacks are typically considered different/special and more hard-working in comparison to African Americans. Furthermore, African immigrants constitute just 13% of college-aged American teenagers but 41% of ivy league admissions, and this disparity is mainly due to socioeconomic status, which is a product of the institutionalized racism that we were discussing earlier.
All of this is to say that yes, we should not push back against the label of Black, but acknowledging the privilege our nativity brings us in the USA is necessary in order to adequately address the anti-Blackness that is specifically targeted toward African Americans.
Wahib
That is a good point about our privilege as African migrants compared to African Americans and Indegenous Australians. We must be able to recognise and acknowledge these advantages that are in place for us. However, I also think addressing our anti-Blackness is deeper than just distancing ourselves from the Black label, this is also embedded within our culture. Internalized racism is very active within our communities and has unfortunately formed a dangerous rhetoric around what we deem admirable. How have you seen or experienced internalised racism or rhetoric within the Harari community?
Safiah
The main issue I would like to address with internalized racism in our community is colorism. Sly comments about “good” hair, or about staying indoors to avoid getting darker, are damaging and should no longer be tolerated. Even the nonchalant way these comments are mentioned contributes to the normalization of lighter skin/straighter hair as being superior. Due to our heritage, we come in a diversity of skin colors—and that range should be celebrated as a testament to our rich history and the beauty of our culture.
These types of comments may seem small or insignificant at the time, but in reality, they build to contribute to the larger institution of racism. By allowing these to persist, and by acting as if they are acceptable, we inadvertently allow space for internalized racism to fester within our communities, further contributing to the system at large. When we allow repeated messaging like this directed towards our children, we further perpetuate these eurocentric standards of beauty as being aspirational. Additionally, we must recognize that these comments are disproportionately directed toward our young women.
The way I see it, this has two major consequences. First, it can result in a diminishing of self-confidence in our youth, creating a desire to assimilate. Second, it can result in even more of the “Us vs Them” rhetoric you mentioned earlier—as in, the thought that we, as Hararis, are not Black although we immigrated from Africa because we typically do not have what are considered to be Black features. We are different, or in other words, better.
We should be wary of this mentality, as the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said what means “There is no merit for an Arab over a non-Arab or a White over a Black, except for their degree of piety and God-fearingness,” narrated by Imam Ahmed.
Wahib
Now that we have touched on the ways racism manifests within our own community, how can we continue anti-racism work in our own spheres?
Safiah
I believe we can embrace our Blackness without minimizing our cultural identity, and the idea that one detracts from the other is a false dichotomy. Distancing ourselves from being labeled as Black as diaspora Hararis is futile because at the end of the day, no amount of rationalizing the denial of our Blackness will protect us from experiencing police brutality and racial bias.
Let’s encourage each other to do better. Let’s be introspective and work to check our own biases. Let’s engage with our fellow community members and our parents when we hear anti-Black rhetoric or when we hear comments influenced by colorism. And let’s correct our intentions as we work to dismantle racism both within our community and beyond it. After all, as Hararis, we have to remember that we are Muslims first, and Islam unequivically rejects racism.