Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue - 54

Simone agreed. " [There's more] cultural understanding when I am talking to [my Black
supervisor], like even in casual conversations. " Simone's experiences with two white
members of her supervisory team had been mixed, and she recalled how the white graduate
assistant had talked to her about Black Lives Matter during move-in, something
that meant a lot to her:
And to know that like he's very supportive of Black Lives Matter and how he's learning,
he's actively learning about, you know, biases, and he's reading books and learning and
especially as it makes me very comfortable knowing that he is learning to try to get out of
these biases and be a better person and be a better supporter about Black Lives Matter.
While Simone had positive experiences with the white graduate assistant, she also
recalled an uncomfortable situation with the white hall director. In a staff meeting, a
Black RA had brought up a racial issue with residents, and the hall director " brushed
it off " as " everyone has these biases and preconceived notions, " failing to recognize the
severity of the issue. Simone and one of her friends had initially planned to talk to the
hall director about it, but, as she explained,
I think that we like, we've just kind of given up trying to talk to him. Or at least, I have.
I think the other one has as well because I realized like I don't think he's going to listen
to us. I don't think he's going to understand.
Student nodded. She too was hesitant when talking to white supervisors about issues
related to race, particularly when it also meant confronting the supervisor's behavior.
Authenticity
Talking about their relationships with supervisors got Liam thinking about her ability,
or lack thereof, to be her authentic self in the RA position.
I think there are times where I have to um, de-Blackify myself if that makes sense.
I know it sounds funny, but I do think there are times where I feel like I do have to code
switch or I have to, you know, because I don't want to be looked at as that angry
Black girl. Everything when you're Black kind of comes out as more aggressive. Well,
it's not aggressive, but to the un-Black eye it's always gonna seem more aggressive
than it's supposed to be. And that's just a struggle that you have to deal with as a
Black person every day in your life. You always have to tiptoe around the things
you say or how you say it.
Captain could relate to Liam's concerns about being seen as too aggressive, though she
didn't necessarily connect it to race.
I'm pretty known for being myself . . . [but] tact is probably the one thing that my parents
talked to me about, because sometimes I could be a bit aggressive in how I say things.
You have to be a little bit careful, especially in a professional setting. So, I kind of like
put that on, making sure that I'm not just like, informal but formal at the same time when
I'm working with my co-workers and residents.
Volume 48, No. 3 * 2022 51

Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue

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