By: Mmathabo Mahlangu
Photo by Timothy Paule II from Pexels
Fifteen year – old Esther Emeka founded her own organization with the help of School Of Future, which is another organisation that aims to empower entrepreneurial teenagers to start and manage their own businesses.
Let’s talk about it is a teen led organisation which aims to provide a platform for POC members to share their experiences with racism and discrimination. The platform also allows people who haven’t been in racial situations to understand these issues without having to experience it themselves.
The organisation also has a program that has been designed to open one’s mind to understand the complexity of racism and shape the way you think of other racial groups.
Esther was inspired to start her organisation by the example that her community had set in place for her. She lives in a community where there is little to no racial tension and all racial groups live together in harmony, with that being said she strives to branch out to more communities and promote the concept of racial equality and unity.
I had the privilege to sit and talk with Esther about her organisation and how she feels about racial stereotypes. She had shared some important and interesting points with me which I will be discussing throughout this article.
One of the experiences that Esther shared with me which further motivated her to start her own organisation was when she was only 14 – years old travelling home by bus. As soon as she entered the bus she could immediately feel the racial tension around. During her journey home an older white woman who sat close by said something that had offended our young teenager. In turn Esther corrects the elderly woman from what she had said which then led to a conflict. As the conflict arises between young Esther and the white elderly woman along with other poc members from the bus who were protecting Esther, two police officers enter the bus to intervene in the situation. One of the police officers (black) starts off to understand the situation. After some time of solving the conflict Esther was taken home by the police officers, she had to explain to her parents what had happened in the bus.
For a long time Esther knew that at some point in her life she was going to have to face such a situation where she had to defend her identity as a black woman. She points out that every black child growing up knows that there will be a time where someone who is not of their kind will throw racial slurs at them or discriminate against them because of their skin colour. This is a reality that we black children are taught growing up that we should prepare ourselves for such a time.
As part of the topics which we discussed this month of how racial stereotypes are portrayed in the media, Esther had shared with me an interesting point on how the racial stereotypes have been normalized in the media. For instance when there are jokes made directed at black children about not having a father has been normalized. It has come to a point where many will be surprised to find a black child living in a stable home with both mother and father. There is no problem with making such jokes, but the problem is when we do it excessively to the point where it becomes toxic.
In as much as racial stereotypes are an ongoing problem in society today, we must understand that it takes time to overcome the stereotypes you have formed. Esther had touched on this topic briefly, she’d explained that if we begin by realising that everyone is unique and that the stereotypes we have created are inaccurate. We should all give each other a chance to prove our worth and capabilities. And if we all try to understand each others story and stop invalidating others experience with racism and discrimination it would help create a unified society. We must all understand that both white people and people of colour do experience racial stereotypes, it’s just a matter of time that we all realize this and take affirmative action.
See the full interview on our Elements Edit YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Zjgh4f8XdJ8
Instagram : @povsofpocs • Instagram photos and videos
See all the work that Esther has made on her Instagram page: Let’s Talk About It (@_letstalk.aboutit_) • Instagram photos and videos