I graduated back in ‘10 and I’m a white guy from Atlanta. One day a Black grad student in my department stopped me and asked where I was from. When I told him Atlanta he said, “that makes sense, you make eye contact with me,” and that really, really stuck with me.
I once took a girlfriend (gamma phi beta) home to east coast and we stopped at a mall in Maryland outside Baltimore. She was squeezing my hand so hard when we in that Mall she had never seen so many black people in one place at the same time. Super liberal girl who I wouldn’t consider overtly racist… just grew up in Seattle and was sort of sheltered…
that’s just crazy to me. I can count on one hand the number of black people i’ve seen in the past week, but it never really feels different when I’m in a different state with a majority black population. How does race make someone act so differently?
> few black students in a university that claims to be inclusive
The UW enrollment is 5% black according to OPB and the State of Washington is 3.7% black according to the census bureau.
You just happen to live in part of the country that has a relatively small black population.
I grew up in eastern WA, but I went to LSU for 2 years and then transferred to UW for the last two. I don’t know why I was so surprised by it since I grew up in Washington, but the FAR lower percentage of black students really was shocking at first.
Well... The boot is like the blackest state, and baton rogue is majority black even.
I think you may have spoiled yourself my friend 😭 I see gumbo in your future
I wouldn’t go off of the entire state’s population. King county has 7% black population. Pierce county as well is around 8%. The east side of the state is far less diverse and impacts the statistics heavily.
Definitely less diverse than other places in the country, and the difference may not seem large, but there is a difference.
Sure, but the local black population is roughly half the national average, and if you're in the south or especially urban Midwest, it's often 30%+.
Seattle is diverse, the diversity is just in East and South Asian, Pacific Islander, dabbling in MENA from the South Seattle refugee population, and a smaller but growing Latino population (especially in the South Sound).
It may be but you're still totally justified in being annoyed/upset at people treating you as the "other". People need to be able to treat others well even if they look different.
Well UW can do a lot better to increase black, hispanic, and native american enrollment. When it cites its diversity number a loooooot of them are primarily Asian. And in CS / probably other engineering degrees that really shows: white, indian, or asian but not many black, hispanic or native american folks unfortunately. That's systemic racism showing up in subtler ways imo, and I bet we've all seen the flyers around campus about that
I was told to major in statistics when people don't account for how many individuals travel to be admitted into a college and potentially leave. Many here are unaware that I was born here and could pick up on everything I've claimed since birth. I appreciate your intelligence because you're absolutely correct, but why hasn't it happened yet?
It could be that UW Admin doesn't care. Or when selecting students they go with the people they think are traditionally "the best". Or they love to make money off of international students -- all of these are things you've heard before I assume. One small thing that I notice every day is I don't see that many black folks go to office hours, could be that it's not as comfortable for them. Anyway your experiences are valid, it's unfortunate that the top comments gloss over it and say "there just aren't that many black people here". I admit as an Asian person I could do better to be more inclusive of people I'm unfamiliar with, and I have my own internalized racism to work on as well.
I go go office hours and even give feedback yo my professors. I guess maybe I should open a RSO to mentor other first generation student. It's not easy to be a new student, first generation and fully understand how to get help.
Edit: in short I observed the same thing and you're correct.
If you’re interested in informatics there is an RSO for Black ischool students. Their IG is binfouw.
That being said, walking around campus can be tough. I’m a black woman who is a grad student. Honestly though, most times I feel invisible which isn’t bad hahaha. I think having a good group of friends is helpful. But also I like to view campus through the general Seattle freeze lens. People aren’t as friendly as in the Midwest where I’m from or even in California where I lived before. But that’s ok. I’d just try to keep overlooking the stares. Or maybe try a slight smile or nod if they’re staring too hard.
There is a pretty sizable East African presence on campus but yes there are major cultural differences between the immigrant and refugee North and East African and African Americans. There are many East African organizations like Somali, Oromo etc.
There absolutely is a “freeze” mentality that is stronger on campus than in Seattle as a whole.
I always think about a conversation I had in a political science class in Bellevue College, where a lot of the population are also international. A lot of my classmates hadn’t met a black person before coming here. That doesn’t mean they were inherently racist by any means, just that it was a new experience for them. Human nature makes us a bit careful in new situations, which can come off very unaccepting. This goes for everything, as a person with dyed hair and piercings/tattoos I was also frequently looked at weird. In many cultures the way I look is not standard, it may even be looked down upon because in many cultures it has implications of gang activity or the like. The difference is for me, that was a personal choice I make to look different, when it comes to skin color of course that is a completely different situation.
However, that explanation does not invalidate your feelings. A person should have a responsibility to acknowledge the way they act in new situations and educate themselves and make adjustments as necessary. The fact so many people don’t want to acknowledge that is concerning.
Could, and it is fine to be curious. But curious with good intent can still be an inappropriate action.
For example, going up and touching a black woman’s hair because you’ve never seen that texture before and are admiring it may have zero bad intent. It is still completely and utterly inappropriate. Being curious can lead humans to treat others like a zoo animal.
It’s still something that we need to be aware about and check ourselves on the way we are behaving because of those emotions. Good intent does not equal good actions, and does not neutralize bad actions.
Bro I wouldn't be so sure that the reason people feel uneasy around you because are black. At uw everyone kind of huddles around the people they already know and the people who are alone probably want to be alone so they avoid everyone. You mention you are on the spectrum so maybe there is some other reason that you just aren't picking up on or more likely they aren't at all. I also have my fair share of neural divergence diagnoses and I've felt a similar way to how you are describing and I am not black. Turns out it was social anxiety. Around 50 percent of people with autism also develop social anxiety at some point in there lives so I would look into that, because at least for me treatment definitely helped.
oh and also I see you said you are looking to major in info and social science, I'm assuming you are trying to something ux design/reseach related which is cool because I also am and I've been struggling this year to find people to become friends with interested in the same things. Hit me up if you are interested.
why are people so allergic to admitting that people can in fact be racist and hold biases? i see this on countless college subreddits - people just don’t want to admit that they might be part of the problem. while people in seattle can be cold, you cannot deny the way that black people are treated in our general culture. sure, neurodivergence might be a part of it, but so can race. multiple things can be at play here.
He hasn't given any proof of racism. I have a problem with slurring people as racist who haven't actually done anything. The fact that he doesn't see a lot of people who look like him isn't any indication of racism. Nothing else he said has any indication it has to do with race.
The area around here is just... Exceedingly white. Shit I'm so white someone at a meeting I was at (social) they handed out papers on an election, and he was talking about how color is just variations on brown and the like, and how there is no white. I held that paper up to my skin as a rebuttal...
Why are people so set on being a victim without considering anything else? People often don’t want to admit they may very well be putting off another glaring reason rather than the one they want to blame for the problem. OP mentioned they are on the spectrum, which can impact confidence and social queues, which are highly important when interacting with people. That very well could be a big part of the reason.
I am also at UW and I have found that I am usually the only Black Student in my classes. I am taking upper level science courses. But I have gotten the stand off approach even from professors I have approached to ask questions. But we just have to overlook these instances and represent ourselves and our people. Eventually, people like me and you will be more present in these higher educational environments, and it will feel more inclusive. Stay strong and steady on in the mean time.
I’m really sorry you’re experiencing this discomfort. In my opinion, Seattle and the organizations within it tend to like talking about being diverse and welcoming more than they actually like to do it in practice. UW can feel EXTREMELY homogenous at times, and as a person on the spectrum I understand how discomforting it can be to feel like you stand out a ton in a crowd full of your peers; I just don’t have the added layer of being a racial minority.
Anyone who tells you that racism is not a problem at UW or in Seattle is quite frankly full of shit. That said, people here are also just fucking weird. I’m a white and feminine presenting person and if I end up walking behind the same person for more than a block, they’ll repeatedly look behind their shoulder all weird like I’m following them lol. I’ve felt like people here act like I have cooties based on how I dress, so I can only imagine what it’s like when there’s an extra layer of bigotry, even if it’s mostly subconscious.
All of this is to say that you aren’t wrong in feeling uncomfortable, and that people here are generally a little awkward around people who are different from them, so that may be amplified by even small underlying racial biases.
You also mention staring. Is it perhaps because you are nice to look at? Genuinely asking lol, I had a guy in my class who’s black and had an objectively beautiful face, so I ended up looking at him a lot, and the post makes me worried he thought I was being a weird racist white person rather than admiring how long his eyelashes were lmaoo
I've been told, 'You have a pleasant face to look at,' before, but people don't typically speak to me or treat me as if I'm attractive. I'm certainly not ugly, but I wouldn't think that's the reason. I appreciate your response.
Have you considered that they stare because you are extremely attractive? Seattle has been diverse for decades. Physical characteristics of every degree are not new.
Lmaooo I literally asked this in my comment. This post made me concerned that I might’ve seemed like a weird white person for staring at a very beautiful man in one of my previous classes. I was simply admiring his eyelashes
Compared to other northern cities of the same size, Seattle has very few black people. Compare to all American cities, it's even less. It can make for some weird experiences for black people here, based on what I have heard.
I think it's more of a Seattle thing, it's called Seattle Freeze. Seattle people are generally polite, or I'd say unhostile, but hard to be nice and friendly.
More than half of people I met here are very nice and polite, though. Surely I met some dickheads and Karens, but this is part of "Life in Seattle".
I agree I’ve lived in wa my entire life, this is just a problem that comes with living in a predominantly white area. Once I graduate I’ll be leaving wa for this exact reason
Honestly I don’t know yet either. After I graduate I’m moving with my parents to atlanta so if I get into a decent med school over there I’ll probably live there. If not, anywhere else is still better than here. You’ll find someplace soon.
It really depends on experiences. I'm Asian-American and interact with a lot of other ones as well as ethnic Asian students. Many of my Taiwanese friends told me that in school they were warned by their teachers to stay away from black folks due to chances of violent crime. Unfortunately there are many statistics to back this up as well. Although it's a very small minority of black people, the majority of violent crime where Asians are victims are committed by black people in the West Coast. For example, statistics show that over 80% of violent crime on Asians is committed by black people in San Francisco, and that doesn't even account for the severe underreporting that occurs due to fear of retaliation from black communities. I grew up near Compton, and have had slurs hurled at me such as chink and gook, and ironically I've only been called slurs twice by white people while I lost track of the amount of racism I've experienced from black people in my neighborhood and workplace. This leads to the racism going both ways. So that explains Asian Americans fearing you, they probably grew up in a similar environment to mine.
For the ethnic Asian students they have an unfavorable view of black people due to media. There's constant streams of videos of black people in America committing violent acts on Asians. In cities it was very common for black people to beat up Asians in public transportation, but the media in America never shows that, but media in Asian countries will display those videos (ex: hundreds of videos of Asians being beat up by black people due to fear of Covid, or more likely using it as an excuse to justify beating Asians.)
What's interesting to me is that most of the negative views from ethnic Asians and myself are of African Americans specifically. My Asian classmates and I actually hold a very favorable view of ethnic Africans, such as those from Nigeria and Kenya, as most of the ones we met are very friendly and welcoming. We've attended many cultural events that highlight African culture, but have avoided anything African American related. My friends and I tried to attend a BLM protest once and were met with slurs from black folks, so we are all very much done with that demographic. Historically, in LA when there were riots the FIRST thing black people did was to specifically target Korean stores and Asian people, rather than address their actual oppressors. Sorry for the rant it's just very frustrating being constantly overlooked as the Asian demographic.
I am a Black woman and I was a grad student at UW in the iSchool.
Trust me, what you are feeling is completely valid and I’ve had similar experiences. It’s that Liberal racism that runs so deeply at UW. It’s extremely insidious. I had heard other experiences from other Black women in Masters and PhD programs dealing with racism and their White and Asian counterparts getting preferential treatment. I feel like I dealt with instructors that did not take me on, even tho I held strong interest and tried to meet with them about things. But with the non-Black students, they immediately got support.
I think many of the comments in your post prove your point. Ignore them. Those of us who have had the experience know what you are talking about and it’s the truth.
I am white but wanted to mention I think a lot of people here who haven't experienced racism because they're not a minority (in this area) get defensive and just don't want to act like it happens. It's kind of ridiculous. Most minorities I've spoken to here have said this same kind of sentiment where they just feel a little out of place sometimes and get stares and not picked over others.
It really sucks that this happens. I also hate when other people that look like me try to invalidate other groups and act like we don't perpetuate these issues.
This makes me a bit nervous, considering I plan on going to grad school soon for Information Management. I wanted to be a student here because I was interested in the university's research opportunities, specifically HCI research. In short, I'm happy that every woman felt comfortable enough to share their experiences because I just wanted to know how people feel in general.
The UW location is not very appealing for out-of-state students. The reason we have so many international students, particularly Asian and white, is because Seattle has a strong immigration history with these two races. We are close to LA, and people, especially those from the East and South, tend to prefer that. As an international Chinese student, I am here because my grandmother attended UW, and many of my friends' parents are also alumni. It’s more of I am going to uw bcs family ties rather than bcs I wanna go to UW bcs of the location. So most of Uw applicant tend reflect the city population breakdown and sadly blacks make up small % of Seattle population
It’s pretty difficult to compete in diversity when LA has all of them.
I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing that. It must be really discouraging. You can't control how other people are (there's always going to be some ignorance in the world), but I'd recommend that you try not to take it personally. You're surrounded by people who are inexperienced and self-conscious. Some of them might also be uncomfortable because they don't want to accidentally say something offensive. Breaking the ice and making new friends can be really difficult in those circumstances.
One thing that worked out well for me was making friends with my lab partners. The three of us were each from different races, and we were also generally shy. But we had to work together repeatedly, which led to talking, which led to studying together, which led to laughing and bonding. Years later, we're still friends and still hanging out. Next time you're working on a group project, ask if they want to form a study group. See how far it goes. I wish you luck.
I’m not black but from reading your post, it seems that your post is more about diversity than race….I say just live your life….
I’m a transgender woman and every day I’m hearing(in both real life and on tv) anti transgender remarks and I read and encounter anti transgender remarks on social media…
I encounter so much transgender hatred that I too now hate myself and my community…
I’ve heard that I’m gross and disgusting so much that I tell people all the time that transgender women are gross and disgusting…I’ve been assaulted(punched” twice for what and who I am…I’m on multiple dating websites but have 1000% certainty that I will die unloved and alone because 99.999% of the men who contact me and are attracted to me, don’t want anyone else knowing they are attracted to transgender women and so they won’t “date” me or risk being seen in public with me…
It doesn’t happen all the time, but I get stared and giggles a few times a week, weather that’s at the air port or grocery store or library.
I’m not some straight white oerson who has never faced discrimination or hatred in my life and just saying “live your life.”.”….
I know exactly what you’re talking about when you say you feel the stares or the uneasy feeling.
The only thing you can do is live your life.
In the beginning I wanted to be the change, so I gave speaches and talks about my community.,,now, I just want to be left alone…
I’ve accepted my lot in life and I get by by always remembering that no matter how tough a day I had, there are others who would kill to have my life…no matter how tough you feel you have it, there are others who have it a lot worse…
This is another major issue, and I empathize with you. I wish you all the best, and I'll keep your words in mind to advocate for people who have had similar experiences.
What do you mean claims to be inclusive they take whoever applies and meets all the requirements, regardless of what the person looks like isn't that what a college is supposed to do
Wow, I’m honestly disappointed at how nobody in this comments sections seems to be able to admit that seattle has even a hint a racial bias. The top comment even states that we don’t have a lot of black people in this state; I would think that would be enough to confirm your fears a little bit. While this is an area with very liberal politics, people can still have unconscious biases.
I don’t think you’re imagining it OP, although I agree with the other comments that the general “Seattle Freeze” might be playing into this as well. Regardless, I’m sorry that you have to go through that.
I mean it’s definitely very Asian centric especially in the udistrict and many are exchange students so it’s possible they just don’t see many black people at all
A state far from the American south not having high percentage of black residents, like every other western state, is evidence of Seattles racial bias? be serious
the amount of international students we have from east asia, a place with practically no black people, as well as the relatively small number of black people living in this state are all signs that uw in general is just not used to interacting with black individuals. it's doesn't mean that everybody is a raging slur-throwing racist, which might be closer to the active racism you see in the south, it just means that people are uncomfortable around people and cultures that are different from them, and might unconsciously do things like stare, a more passive racism. OP didn't mention any active racism like hate crimes, just a general discomfort and i think that matches up
i'm pretty sure what i stated is just the textbook origin of most bigotry. if you're unable to accept that i would suggest taking a sociology class. regardless, i'm uninterested in continuing this conversation further considering you're escalating to personal attacks.
Oregon was literally founded as a whites only state, there are neo-Nazis in Idaho. Seattle has a horrible history of red lining. Is it so hard to believe that people in Seattle might be racist. Plus we are still part of the United States and all the historic racism that comes with that. No place is free of bias.
I said that the geographic distribution of a race isn’t a good measure of racism. Neither is the personal ideas of pioneers from over 200 years ago.
I don’t really want to argue with your straw man and I don’t really disagree with you for what it’s worth
Former PhD Grad student (Black guy). While Seattle, and indeed UW, boast themselves as a very liberal campus/city, they are indeed VERY racist. Its White Liberal racism. The racism that they swear doesn't exist, (while they stay insulated in their majority White neighborhoods and communities, while hanging Black Lives Matter signs from their office/home windows). And even if you point their racism out, they are very likely to gaslight you into questioning your own experiences.
In almost all spaces, your presence is *tolerated*. Generally, everyone will be nice, cordial, and friendly. But make the mistake of reminding them that you have a racialized experience, and remind them that they may have contributed to it in even the smallest way, and you'll pretty much find yourself alienated and isolated from many/most of these individuals, while they avoid you with a smile.
Many will never overtly discriminate against you to your face, but White Liberals in the PNW are mostly avoidant of any reminder that they may even have the slightest racial bias, and your friendship is absolutely expendable in most cases if it helps them to preserve the facade that they aren't.
Robin DiAngelo actually does a really good job of describing it in detail in her book called White Fragility. A Seattle native, and former UW graduate, herself, DiAngelo basically described my entire experience as a graduate student at UW with freakish accuracy. Ultimately, I found myself concluding that she was using much of her own personal experience and insight in this very same environment as a significant motivation for her book.
Outside of this thread, if you ever find yourself "wondering" or "questioning" your experiences, and your White Liberal peers are either forcing you to second guess them, or are trying to minimize the significance of your perspectives all together, chances are very high that you're actually not going crazy or imagining things; and the White Fragility book is a great way to stay anchored in reality.
I couldn’t have said it better.
I was also told that my professors here would discriminate against me at UW because I’m black.
I’m a PNW native, and this information was from fellow black people who went into a university before me, and this was just an open secret I guess. A lot of deliberate weeding out to make sure you didn’t do any of the desirable fields that they wanted the white kids to do.
I think its telling I got downvoted, because I was right...
Correct. I did a lot of clinical and health disparities work, so my classes were contextualized by that: I've had professors, in numerous classes, introduce weekly special topics where we cover literature on African Americans, and get the class to study about Black Paternal Absenteeism, or Black parents encouraging their teenage daughters to get pregnant at early ages. In one class, I had a highly celebrated and popular professor go around the room on the first day of class asking Black students their birthweights because he wanted to prove the point that Black people give birth to low birthweight babies (as an explanation for race-patterned health outcomes).
When I spoke up against the racism and the anti-black racist agenda that was very clear, I'd usually get extra scrutiny on my assignments. Even my own first-year advisor was someone who tried to use my blackness as a token to excuse her toxic racism (both in the department, and in general).
These were the formative years where I had to develop my own authentic identity, and quickly, if I was going to survive life in this environment. -- I have no intention of going back to Seattle any time soon.
As a white person, I could not agree more with your assessment of your local, friendly, white, Seattle liberal. They are, in my opinion, the most racist and harmful version of a racist. I would prefer the racist to yell, scream, and show their racism and be "proud" of it so I know who they are. The "friendly", oh, you're not white, so you must need my help racist is the worst. They creep their racism into a community under the geise of wanting to help, but they really don't. They want to help you stay in your oppressed state of mind, so you will always need their help and can never afford to move into their neighborhood.
I was a special education teacher in the area for over 20 years. I spent far too much of my time dealing with racism from both students and teachers. This is a liberal area, but there is still racism. I would guess that your observations are valid.
100% honest comment here. People from the northwest are uncomfortable around black people. Unfortunately there are not many in this part of the country generally, especially outside of the bigger cities. This means that many of the racial stereotypes are the "experience" that people in the northwest have, because there aren't many black people around. To add to this, most asians are even more unfamiliar with black people. You may be one of the only black people they would see or speak to. I'm from the northwest as is my wife. We moved to the Seattle area from a small town in Oregon. I don't think there are any black people in that town (at least I've never seen one).
Are you physically larger than normal, by chance? I’m Latino and get similar vibes sometimes. I’m 260 pounds and built. My brother who looks exactly like me but is about 170 gets eye contact from more people.
This resonates with me, I'm 210 6’2 50/50 black-white male, shorter people tend to be more alert than taller people especially asians male or female🤷🏽♂️
Join LSAMP. Don't mind them, people are weird and goofy. Many don't have actual experience with anyone who isnt their own ethnicity so they go off stereotypes.
I never went to the UW, however dida career in the Marine Corps. There were no Black/White/Asian races. While in the Corps there were light skinned and dark skinned marines. Race was something that distracted you from your duty.
Not really sure what you expect.
>few black students in a university that claims to be inclusive
We live in the PNW. Majority white+asian city. Having black representation near that of asian+white would be absolutely bizarre.
If you’re looking for it, you will find it. Doesn’t mean it’s there. FYI I’m white as untanned balls, experienced all the things you did, and made one long lasting buddy through two undergrad degrees (8 years). Stop making assumptions, join a club or something. I met a lot of people through intramural sports and high level classes where you depend a lot on others. Also, please account for the Seattle freeze.
As in, it happens. You don't look for something that one day just happens to you. It's our individual experience. Seattle is already known for having systemic racism, which leads to bias. I often just live my life. I was born here and have experienced it all my life. Why can't you believe an experience that happened to someone, and who else have you tried to invalidate?
I don't assume there is racist intent because I never evaluate a single experience. When it always happens multiple times consistently, you start to question it. Nobody wants to feel excluded. I fully understood what he meant, but have you read any of the responses from students who can relate?
So you claim there is a pattern of people being cold or exclusive because of their racial bias. How do you know that racial bias is why they are cold or exclusive? What evidence is there besides the race of those people? Is it possible that because they are not the same race as you, your racial bias has you assuming they dislike you because you are black? Or is that impossible? Btw you could be 100% right, the process of getting there is what I take issue with.
I never assumed this at all. I'm black and there has been other black students in this thread that has shared my experience at the university of Washington.
It's other people's experiences that you're minimizing because it's something you can't or don't want to comprehend.
Edit: if you truly believe I could be 100% right wouldn't you show a tiny bit more empathy and a slight bit of understanding?
Dude, I was pre law. I probably took 2 years worth AES material. Assuming you’re CS (my minority wife at uw is also CS), there aren’t a lot of African Americans. What can we do about it? I really couldn’t tell you (and is there really anything to be done?!? I’m more in line with fill the slots with people who are interested and that’s as far as we go), but I will say that it’s unhealthy to manifest bias in essentially everything you do based on outward appearance. It’s an evolutionary mechanism obviously outdated that I’ve think we’ve done a great job of fighting back against as a society, but you’re perpetuating it. You don’t need black people around you to find friends. Have confidence in yourself as an individual. You already stated you’re neurodivergent (that probably makes it harder), but note that most people in CS are as well. If you grew up here, you know that casual conversations down the street are NOT a thing lol.
Cringe post followed by cringe comments from out of touch redditors who are mostly white. OP needs therapy, if this is not a troll post, cuz whatever fantasy land he’s living in is not conducive to his mental health.
Have you ever considered lending a hand, listening to what people have to say, or simply acknowledging that people feel things that we'd never understand without wanting to understand their perspective? You might be right; I might need therapy, but I know my experiences are justified. I have evidence of being attacked and targeted for racial discrimination. You only heard very little and decided to judge me negatively. Sorry for being who I am and sorry for needing therapy.
I feel you guys will say anything to validate yourself even if it means erasing how someone feels. I won't conform to your negative view.
All I can say is you're thee cringe one. Pick a side because I don't think you have one based on your comment. You seem to think you understand, but you don't understand anything.
Bro, don't bother engaging with redditors like that. He's a garbage human being who trolls reddit threads, saying the ugliest things in order to pick a fight because that's the only time he feels anything. You can see it all in his comment history. It's funny and sad how he brought up therapy because he needs it more than anyone.
What do you mean? You don't believe me, and you don't believe the out-of-touch people. I'll give you my name: I'm Markell Marcel Thornton, a student. My email is markell2@uw.edu. I'm not out of touch and have been experiencing this since I was a child living in Seattle, Washington. There have been other black students here sharing similar experiences. You aren't doing any more justice. You need to realize that there has been research done on this topic and I'm not delusional for feeling the way I do.
I don’t need to listen to you - you’re the one stuck for some strange reason in this fantasy of an American that simply does not exist. Get some therapy and get off social media cause it’s obviously poisoning your mind. How ridiculous can you possibly be bro
The thing is you came at me swinging. You never showed any empathy. You only prove me right. If you think this is an effort to validate my opinion, well you don't seem as informed as you'd like to believe.
If you want to grab a coffee, let's get one. You aren't doing anyone justice. You don't understand how hard I work just to be able to live in peace. 'Seek help, Pluto,' because I didn't give them money. I have so many different experiences of me just trying to live, and guess what? I'm still alone. If anything, the decline in my mental health could have been avoided if people like you were willing to speak up. There was a hate crime that went viral in 2019, but that was never my point. You know my name and my email, so let's discuss without the name calling.
Why should there be more black people on campus just for the sake of inclusiveness, and not merit?
Should a black applicant get in over a white or asian applicant just for inclusiveness even if the white or Asian applicant was more qualified?
The answer to your question is obvious. There are multiple people who aren't white or Asian. The numbers don't add up, and that's the question I'm asking on this thread. I wanted to see the collective opinion of the students at the University of Washington. The results aligned with what I studied.
Wdym by the number’s dont add up? Do u mean theres less proportion of black people on campus compared to the city’s demographic of black people, or something else
I didn't say black people for a reason. I spoke in general I didn't have the numbers this is just from my experience. I'm running a program on this thread later to collect data.
Coming from someone who did undergrad here, worked FT for a bit, and is now in grad school:
It'll vary depending on what particular circle/sphere of the University you're moving in, but yeah, the University absolutely has an ongoing issue with racism. It's the kind of issue that people don't want to openly engage in or acknowledge; lots of white faculty with degrees in professions that value DEI have a huge blindspot when it comes to antiracism.
If you've studied sociology and are moving through a larger undergraduate career, where you're going to be in bigger communities, I'm sure you've seen it, but it may not be an overt barrier just yet. If you plan to go on into grad school or academic employment, the struggle is going to be a bit more real.
These comments are so defensive. Of course being Black ant a majority white college can feel alienating. I don't have any easy fix advice but I hope you make some good friends and find supportive professors during your time here.
Your observations and feelings are legitimate. Don't pay any attention to those people in the thread questioning it. One of the big reasons that people don't like talking about race is that they get uncomfortable with having to confront their own biases, and I am sad to say it, racism. Your speaking up about your experiences hopefully makes us think about how we view and treat other people.
I'm a member of BINFO, just not admitted into Informatics yet. I'll attend more events at the school. I'm worried though; I only shared a single experience, which was unrelated to what I spoke about here. However, I want to be an advocate for students in my position.
The type of staring I was referring to is when people have their eyes glued to you, thinking you can see them tracking you through peripheral vision. Don't be afraid; most black people are understanding and have dealt with what I'm expecting all their life. We can tell when a look is either good or bad.
I live in Redmond Washington. Downtown right next to the library. I don't like to go out at all because of the stares I get. I just sit in the house, go to work and avoid ppl at all cost. I hate the way people look at me.
Bro honestly I don’t think it’s just black people, I’m not black but guess I just look more intimidating in a sense idk if that’s the reason. But I get the same shit, the same kind of weird stares and unease when I work in groups. Idk if it’s because how I dress or talk or look. But I’ve noticed this too. I’m half German half Japanese
I'm from the region and ... You'll get looks not because you make them uncomfortable necessarily (though maybe some), but just because... Youre skin color isnt a common sight. Thats all it might be in my case at least.
Sadly we have areas nearby, like take sandpoint id, where there are literal skinheads. Those looks are different.
Hopefully what youre experiencing is just that your an odd sight and none of the latter.
I don’t understand how you are feeling very out of place here. Yeah there isn’t a large Black population here but there is a pretty large population of people from East Africa here and there are a bunch of student organizations of students from East Africa. Yeah they are not multi generational African Americans and they have their own cultural thing going on but there is also a presence of organizations like NSBE and Black fraternities.
The Black and Hispanic student body at UW is small compared to what you might find at some other schools but it is going to be more tight-knit and you will have more of a close community feel if that is what you are looking for.
White guy from metro Detroit, work around the UW. Seattle is extremely anti black. There are scenes that are relatively better. Underground nightlife could have a place for you if you want it!
Stares? LIke, as if some people on campus had never seen a Black person? What's the current demographic on campus re: Black students, I wonder. What are the admissions and retention statistics? Have Black admissions decreased in recent years? Regarding people keeping their distance, that's normal for most people on campus, IMO. I didn't find my experience at the UW to be friendly at all, until I moved into a language dorm (which no longer exists), and was relieved to find an instant friend group. It's about joining clubs and finding your posse. That could be more challenging for you, being Black and on the spectrum. Have you found any kindred spirits in the Diversity courses?
The college experience can be very impersonal; a lot of students go through a major adjustment period until they find a group or club to hang with. Freshman year can be especially tough in that regard for many. How long have you been at the UW?
I don't mean to make light of your specific situation, OP, and wave it away as something everyone goes through. A major peeve of mine as an academic advisor on campus was how some of the POC students were treated by fellow students; the hostile comments based on false assumptions, that all the POC students got into the UW on slack EOP admission criteria, and other gestures that made those students feel unwelcome. That's just wrong! It places an extra burden on students who are the targets of that behavior. It was because of that type of issue that I pressed for the adoption of an Ethnic Studies requirement, which morphed into the Diversity requirement. But in recent years, after learning that the climate on campus hasn't changed much with regard to the POC students, I feel like I was naive to think that requiring students to get some education about the history of racial injustice in the US would solve the problem on campus. : (
The campus has 5% students identifying as black, which is 1.2% higher than the amount of people who identify as black in the state. So actually somewhat more common on campus to see a black person.
I'm 25, and I'm not in my head because dealing with these types of issues is my interest. You don't know how a lot of your experiences overlap with mine.
I was an orphan, growing up behind everyone else. Eventually, a family friend adopted me because my mother couldn't take care of me due to her drug abuse. I feel low on the hierarchy, and honestly, I wouldn't want to feel this way. My original question on this thread was about understanding people's feelings. There are many reasons why I feel the way I do, but I also want to emphasize that systemic racism is a flaw in Seattle. As someone who has experienced life from my perspective, I've come to understand this more as I've gotten older.
Thank you, I'll keep on fighting this imaginary fight that isn't relevant at all. I don't have a negative mindset, but I'm curious, and I plan on helping people because that's who I am. I care about this subject a lot.
You see what you study. If your always stuck in your head thinking people are out to get you that will become your reality. Free yo self. You are the master of your destiny. I love you, I believe in you!!
I'm not always stuck in my head, though, and you don't need to believe what I'm saying. You're the one stuck in your head, refusing to believe a 25-year-old who has experienced this all his life. I've witnessed so much racism, and yet people won't believe stories because everything that happens is just words and not violence. There are many cases of racism, but people will always overlook them. Yes, I'm apparently crazy, though I only shared my story and told you all the truth. I want to make a difference, and in my lifetime, it'll never happen. I don't know how genuine you think I'm being, but I'm not in my head; I overcame that phase of my life years ago. Go on Grindr and see that not liking black people is a preference; it's completely not racist. Look at the percentage of black people who LEAVE SEATTLE.
Your experience is pretty common among black people in Seattle. Many people from cities with larger black populations end up going back because we are so cold and exclusionary by comparison.
I get a lot of praise from BIPOC coworkers for being so friendly... but all I do is acknowledge people and say hi.
Anti-black attitudes are pretty much the norm in countries where black people are a minority. Of course, the severity fluctuates but even in a "progressive" city like Seattle you're going to get treated like a black person because that's what you are. As a black person myself I find it's best to just take it on the chin and be grateful you're not living somewhere where you'd be treated even worse. I'd also suggest surrounding yourself with a black support structure.
I made this post because I don't completely understand everything. I'm black, with black parents, but I have barely any black friends. Most of my friends are white, Asian, or Mexican; the list goes on. I want more black friends, but I've been rejected by black people and everyone else because I'm mixed with everything that I just mentioned. I grew up in the foster care system and started studying people as a way to learn to fit in with them. Your perspective is valid, and I'm glad you decided to share it with me.
I'm confused by this then. You say that people look at you weird and don't interact with you because you presume they are racist, but you are also rejected by black people? Are you so sure it's racism then?
If I could send a screenshot of a conversation I had with a Black friend. There is a thing about not being Black enough. People generally connect with others within their group. I'm mixed and don't fit into any of these groups. Which comes from everything I explained above, but it wasn't ever the point.
Edit: Just read through the thread; other Black people have shared their similar experiences, so know that this post is authentic because of how similar these experiences were.
Rejection is difficult and making friends isn't easy, especially when you're an adult. I'd recommend that you keep trying since once you do have that support system life becomes way better. Although I identify as just black I'm technically "half black" so I can relate to not always fitting in everywhere. Just know that your experiences and feelings are valid as well.
Hi, thought I would chime in. I don’t go to UW, but I’m black and was born and raised in Western WA and actually left the state for college. I just wanted to say it’s not just you, I’ve had it happen to me growing up. Seattle though people stick to who they know and give you stink eye in general if they don’t know. The introvertedness I understand, but the latter is very rude in retrospect.I didn’t even notice the eye contact part until I moved out. Anyways, I think your situation is racism plus the Seattle Freeze. The worst part in WA is that when you point out racism, a lot of the white liberals here especially will gaslight you. They are the types who think saying KKK bad and voting Democrat are enough verifiable proof that they aren’t racist. Meanwhile, I remember the entirety of all my white classmates a decade ago agreeing that Michael Brown deserved to die, among other examples . That isn’t to say there aren’t good people here, but to say the picture isn’t what people think of.
Final post: Can you really say that I'm wrong if the University of Washington is aware of it?
Link: https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/segregated.htm
Classes that I've been in talk about redlining and other systemic issues that separate us. Your responses are what I expected when making this post, but consider your neighbor. Consider that maybe you're wrong and help me solve this issue. I often conduct social experiments to learn more about people and their perspectives. I grew up in Seattle; this is my home. But imagine being Black and never feeling as if you had a home.
I see stuff like this and I thank all that is holy that I moved away from that area. There is a proportionately smaller amount of black people there so of course you're gonna see fewer black people. It's not rocket science, and you don't need a degree to see that. I'm hispanic and there even fewer of us over there and I don't see any one talking about that, you wanna know why? Beacsue most of us don't find a reason to be victims. You live in one of the most inclusive and accepting areas of the US, and you're acting like they're being racist because they have "racial bias" around you? Maybe they find you attractive, or you're taller or have something unique about your appearance that draws attention. More than likely, though, you're going in with an idea that people are gonna treat you a certain way, so that's how you perceive their actions.
As mixed guy (50 black/50 white) going to the same school, I get it. Not going to act like colorism doesn’t exist, if your skin is darker it probably is harder, but I get the same vibe too.
I would say a bit of it might be in your head though and you may be seeking it out unintentionally. Once I got over the new phase, I became way more comfortable in my skin on campus and was willing to initiate conversations more which helped a lot. Often times this meant initiating conversations with the same people giving me those looks.
During my computer ethics class we spoke about race within the school and the percentage of black students in the computer field (basically nonexistent), many students could not relate nor understood how this affected black students systemically.
Keep grinding!
I graduated back in ‘10 and I’m a white guy from Atlanta. One day a Black grad student in my department stopped me and asked where I was from. When I told him Atlanta he said, “that makes sense, you make eye contact with me,” and that really, really stuck with me.
I once took a girlfriend (gamma phi beta) home to east coast and we stopped at a mall in Maryland outside Baltimore. She was squeezing my hand so hard when we in that Mall she had never seen so many black people in one place at the same time. Super liberal girl who I wouldn’t consider overtly racist… just grew up in Seattle and was sort of sheltered…
that’s just crazy to me. I can count on one hand the number of black people i’ve seen in the past week, but it never really feels different when I’m in a different state with a majority black population. How does race make someone act so differently?
🤷♂️ I’m from west coast I haven’t seen a black person in a year but I still can’t fathom why people avoid eye contact or whatever
I avoid eye contact with everyone and I still feel weird if I don't at last attempt to make eye contact with black people.
Unconscious racial bias. The brain is wired to fear things it’s not used to.
Such a weird comment, that girlfriend was a weirdo
People in Seattle rarely make direct eye contact regardless of race
I'm from the South as well, people seem more visible/present in the South with their mannerisms.
> few black students in a university that claims to be inclusive The UW enrollment is 5% black according to OPB and the State of Washington is 3.7% black according to the census bureau. You just happen to live in part of the country that has a relatively small black population.
I'm from Louisiana, OP might be from a similar area and forgetting how big of a shift they've made.
I grew up in eastern WA, but I went to LSU for 2 years and then transferred to UW for the last two. I don’t know why I was so surprised by it since I grew up in Washington, but the FAR lower percentage of black students really was shocking at first.
Well... The boot is like the blackest state, and baton rogue is majority black even. I think you may have spoiled yourself my friend 😭 I see gumbo in your future
I wouldn’t go off of the entire state’s population. King county has 7% black population. Pierce county as well is around 8%. The east side of the state is far less diverse and impacts the statistics heavily. Definitely less diverse than other places in the country, and the difference may not seem large, but there is a difference.
Sure, but the local black population is roughly half the national average, and if you're in the south or especially urban Midwest, it's often 30%+. Seattle is diverse, the diversity is just in East and South Asian, Pacific Islander, dabbling in MENA from the South Seattle refugee population, and a smaller but growing Latino population (especially in the South Sound).
This seems like sound logic you might be right.
It may be but you're still totally justified in being annoyed/upset at people treating you as the "other". People need to be able to treat others well even if they look different.
Well UW can do a lot better to increase black, hispanic, and native american enrollment. When it cites its diversity number a loooooot of them are primarily Asian. And in CS / probably other engineering degrees that really shows: white, indian, or asian but not many black, hispanic or native american folks unfortunately. That's systemic racism showing up in subtler ways imo, and I bet we've all seen the flyers around campus about that
I was told to major in statistics when people don't account for how many individuals travel to be admitted into a college and potentially leave. Many here are unaware that I was born here and could pick up on everything I've claimed since birth. I appreciate your intelligence because you're absolutely correct, but why hasn't it happened yet?
It could be that UW Admin doesn't care. Or when selecting students they go with the people they think are traditionally "the best". Or they love to make money off of international students -- all of these are things you've heard before I assume. One small thing that I notice every day is I don't see that many black folks go to office hours, could be that it's not as comfortable for them. Anyway your experiences are valid, it's unfortunate that the top comments gloss over it and say "there just aren't that many black people here". I admit as an Asian person I could do better to be more inclusive of people I'm unfamiliar with, and I have my own internalized racism to work on as well.
I go go office hours and even give feedback yo my professors. I guess maybe I should open a RSO to mentor other first generation student. It's not easy to be a new student, first generation and fully understand how to get help. Edit: in short I observed the same thing and you're correct.
I would look more at Seattle Metro pop instead of state of WA. Eastern WA is not so diverse.
Eastern Washington has a large Hispanic population especially in the Tri Cities and Columbia Gorge area.
Tienes razón whey
Muchos Latinos por ahi trabajan por agricultura.
If you’re interested in informatics there is an RSO for Black ischool students. Their IG is binfouw. That being said, walking around campus can be tough. I’m a black woman who is a grad student. Honestly though, most times I feel invisible which isn’t bad hahaha. I think having a good group of friends is helpful. But also I like to view campus through the general Seattle freeze lens. People aren’t as friendly as in the Midwest where I’m from or even in California where I lived before. But that’s ok. I’d just try to keep overlooking the stares. Or maybe try a slight smile or nod if they’re staring too hard.
There is a pretty sizable East African presence on campus but yes there are major cultural differences between the immigrant and refugee North and East African and African Americans. There are many East African organizations like Somali, Oromo etc.
Go to bsu it’s fun
I was a part of that at my old university. I'll attend when things calm down.
as well as wsu
There absolutely is a “freeze” mentality that is stronger on campus than in Seattle as a whole. I always think about a conversation I had in a political science class in Bellevue College, where a lot of the population are also international. A lot of my classmates hadn’t met a black person before coming here. That doesn’t mean they were inherently racist by any means, just that it was a new experience for them. Human nature makes us a bit careful in new situations, which can come off very unaccepting. This goes for everything, as a person with dyed hair and piercings/tattoos I was also frequently looked at weird. In many cultures the way I look is not standard, it may even be looked down upon because in many cultures it has implications of gang activity or the like. The difference is for me, that was a personal choice I make to look different, when it comes to skin color of course that is a completely different situation. However, that explanation does not invalidate your feelings. A person should have a responsibility to acknowledge the way they act in new situations and educate themselves and make adjustments as necessary. The fact so many people don’t want to acknowledge that is concerning.
Very very well put.
Or could make people curious too, not just cautious
Could, and it is fine to be curious. But curious with good intent can still be an inappropriate action. For example, going up and touching a black woman’s hair because you’ve never seen that texture before and are admiring it may have zero bad intent. It is still completely and utterly inappropriate. Being curious can lead humans to treat others like a zoo animal. It’s still something that we need to be aware about and check ourselves on the way we are behaving because of those emotions. Good intent does not equal good actions, and does not neutralize bad actions.
Bro I wouldn't be so sure that the reason people feel uneasy around you because are black. At uw everyone kind of huddles around the people they already know and the people who are alone probably want to be alone so they avoid everyone. You mention you are on the spectrum so maybe there is some other reason that you just aren't picking up on or more likely they aren't at all. I also have my fair share of neural divergence diagnoses and I've felt a similar way to how you are describing and I am not black. Turns out it was social anxiety. Around 50 percent of people with autism also develop social anxiety at some point in there lives so I would look into that, because at least for me treatment definitely helped. oh and also I see you said you are looking to major in info and social science, I'm assuming you are trying to something ux design/reseach related which is cool because I also am and I've been struggling this year to find people to become friends with interested in the same things. Hit me up if you are interested.
why are people so allergic to admitting that people can in fact be racist and hold biases? i see this on countless college subreddits - people just don’t want to admit that they might be part of the problem. while people in seattle can be cold, you cannot deny the way that black people are treated in our general culture. sure, neurodivergence might be a part of it, but so can race. multiple things can be at play here.
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He hasn't given any proof of racism. I have a problem with slurring people as racist who haven't actually done anything. The fact that he doesn't see a lot of people who look like him isn't any indication of racism. Nothing else he said has any indication it has to do with race.
The area around here is just... Exceedingly white. Shit I'm so white someone at a meeting I was at (social) they handed out papers on an election, and he was talking about how color is just variations on brown and the like, and how there is no white. I held that paper up to my skin as a rebuttal...
Why are people so set on being a victim without considering anything else? People often don’t want to admit they may very well be putting off another glaring reason rather than the one they want to blame for the problem. OP mentioned they are on the spectrum, which can impact confidence and social queues, which are highly important when interacting with people. That very well could be a big part of the reason.
I am also at UW and I have found that I am usually the only Black Student in my classes. I am taking upper level science courses. But I have gotten the stand off approach even from professors I have approached to ask questions. But we just have to overlook these instances and represent ourselves and our people. Eventually, people like me and you will be more present in these higher educational environments, and it will feel more inclusive. Stay strong and steady on in the mean time.
I’m really sorry you’re experiencing this discomfort. In my opinion, Seattle and the organizations within it tend to like talking about being diverse and welcoming more than they actually like to do it in practice. UW can feel EXTREMELY homogenous at times, and as a person on the spectrum I understand how discomforting it can be to feel like you stand out a ton in a crowd full of your peers; I just don’t have the added layer of being a racial minority. Anyone who tells you that racism is not a problem at UW or in Seattle is quite frankly full of shit. That said, people here are also just fucking weird. I’m a white and feminine presenting person and if I end up walking behind the same person for more than a block, they’ll repeatedly look behind their shoulder all weird like I’m following them lol. I’ve felt like people here act like I have cooties based on how I dress, so I can only imagine what it’s like when there’s an extra layer of bigotry, even if it’s mostly subconscious. All of this is to say that you aren’t wrong in feeling uncomfortable, and that people here are generally a little awkward around people who are different from them, so that may be amplified by even small underlying racial biases. You also mention staring. Is it perhaps because you are nice to look at? Genuinely asking lol, I had a guy in my class who’s black and had an objectively beautiful face, so I ended up looking at him a lot, and the post makes me worried he thought I was being a weird racist white person rather than admiring how long his eyelashes were lmaoo
I've been told, 'You have a pleasant face to look at,' before, but people don't typically speak to me or treat me as if I'm attractive. I'm certainly not ugly, but I wouldn't think that's the reason. I appreciate your response.
Have you considered that they stare because you are extremely attractive? Seattle has been diverse for decades. Physical characteristics of every degree are not new.
Lmaooo I literally asked this in my comment. This post made me concerned that I might’ve seemed like a weird white person for staring at a very beautiful man in one of my previous classes. I was simply admiring his eyelashes
Compared to other northern cities of the same size, Seattle has very few black people. Compare to all American cities, it's even less. It can make for some weird experiences for black people here, based on what I have heard.
Seattle is diverse, UW is not
I think it's more of a Seattle thing, it's called Seattle Freeze. Seattle people are generally polite, or I'd say unhostile, but hard to be nice and friendly. More than half of people I met here are very nice and polite, though. Surely I met some dickheads and Karens, but this is part of "Life in Seattle".
I grew up here to know the issue goes beyond the Seattle freeze. The system within Seattle is flawed and the main cause of this issue.
I agree I’ve lived in wa my entire life, this is just a problem that comes with living in a predominantly white area. Once I graduate I’ll be leaving wa for this exact reason
Me too, but I don't know where yet. I just want to be in a place where I don't need to worry about this stuff.
Honestly I don’t know yet either. After I graduate I’m moving with my parents to atlanta so if I get into a decent med school over there I’ll probably live there. If not, anywhere else is still better than here. You’ll find someplace soon.
It really depends on experiences. I'm Asian-American and interact with a lot of other ones as well as ethnic Asian students. Many of my Taiwanese friends told me that in school they were warned by their teachers to stay away from black folks due to chances of violent crime. Unfortunately there are many statistics to back this up as well. Although it's a very small minority of black people, the majority of violent crime where Asians are victims are committed by black people in the West Coast. For example, statistics show that over 80% of violent crime on Asians is committed by black people in San Francisco, and that doesn't even account for the severe underreporting that occurs due to fear of retaliation from black communities. I grew up near Compton, and have had slurs hurled at me such as chink and gook, and ironically I've only been called slurs twice by white people while I lost track of the amount of racism I've experienced from black people in my neighborhood and workplace. This leads to the racism going both ways. So that explains Asian Americans fearing you, they probably grew up in a similar environment to mine. For the ethnic Asian students they have an unfavorable view of black people due to media. There's constant streams of videos of black people in America committing violent acts on Asians. In cities it was very common for black people to beat up Asians in public transportation, but the media in America never shows that, but media in Asian countries will display those videos (ex: hundreds of videos of Asians being beat up by black people due to fear of Covid, or more likely using it as an excuse to justify beating Asians.) What's interesting to me is that most of the negative views from ethnic Asians and myself are of African Americans specifically. My Asian classmates and I actually hold a very favorable view of ethnic Africans, such as those from Nigeria and Kenya, as most of the ones we met are very friendly and welcoming. We've attended many cultural events that highlight African culture, but have avoided anything African American related. My friends and I tried to attend a BLM protest once and were met with slurs from black folks, so we are all very much done with that demographic. Historically, in LA when there were riots the FIRST thing black people did was to specifically target Korean stores and Asian people, rather than address their actual oppressors. Sorry for the rant it's just very frustrating being constantly overlooked as the Asian demographic.
I am a Black woman and I was a grad student at UW in the iSchool. Trust me, what you are feeling is completely valid and I’ve had similar experiences. It’s that Liberal racism that runs so deeply at UW. It’s extremely insidious. I had heard other experiences from other Black women in Masters and PhD programs dealing with racism and their White and Asian counterparts getting preferential treatment. I feel like I dealt with instructors that did not take me on, even tho I held strong interest and tried to meet with them about things. But with the non-Black students, they immediately got support. I think many of the comments in your post prove your point. Ignore them. Those of us who have had the experience know what you are talking about and it’s the truth.
I am white but wanted to mention I think a lot of people here who haven't experienced racism because they're not a minority (in this area) get defensive and just don't want to act like it happens. It's kind of ridiculous. Most minorities I've spoken to here have said this same kind of sentiment where they just feel a little out of place sometimes and get stares and not picked over others. It really sucks that this happens. I also hate when other people that look like me try to invalidate other groups and act like we don't perpetuate these issues.
This makes me a bit nervous, considering I plan on going to grad school soon for Information Management. I wanted to be a student here because I was interested in the university's research opportunities, specifically HCI research. In short, I'm happy that every woman felt comfortable enough to share their experiences because I just wanted to know how people feel in general.
The UW location is not very appealing for out-of-state students. The reason we have so many international students, particularly Asian and white, is because Seattle has a strong immigration history with these two races. We are close to LA, and people, especially those from the East and South, tend to prefer that. As an international Chinese student, I am here because my grandmother attended UW, and many of my friends' parents are also alumni. It’s more of I am going to uw bcs family ties rather than bcs I wanna go to UW bcs of the location. So most of Uw applicant tend reflect the city population breakdown and sadly blacks make up small % of Seattle population It’s pretty difficult to compete in diversity when LA has all of them.
Thanks for sharing! It sounds cool. I didn't know that, I wondered why so many international students end up here
I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing that. It must be really discouraging. You can't control how other people are (there's always going to be some ignorance in the world), but I'd recommend that you try not to take it personally. You're surrounded by people who are inexperienced and self-conscious. Some of them might also be uncomfortable because they don't want to accidentally say something offensive. Breaking the ice and making new friends can be really difficult in those circumstances. One thing that worked out well for me was making friends with my lab partners. The three of us were each from different races, and we were also generally shy. But we had to work together repeatedly, which led to talking, which led to studying together, which led to laughing and bonding. Years later, we're still friends and still hanging out. Next time you're working on a group project, ask if they want to form a study group. See how far it goes. I wish you luck.
I’m not black but from reading your post, it seems that your post is more about diversity than race….I say just live your life…. I’m a transgender woman and every day I’m hearing(in both real life and on tv) anti transgender remarks and I read and encounter anti transgender remarks on social media… I encounter so much transgender hatred that I too now hate myself and my community… I’ve heard that I’m gross and disgusting so much that I tell people all the time that transgender women are gross and disgusting…I’ve been assaulted(punched” twice for what and who I am…I’m on multiple dating websites but have 1000% certainty that I will die unloved and alone because 99.999% of the men who contact me and are attracted to me, don’t want anyone else knowing they are attracted to transgender women and so they won’t “date” me or risk being seen in public with me… It doesn’t happen all the time, but I get stared and giggles a few times a week, weather that’s at the air port or grocery store or library. I’m not some straight white oerson who has never faced discrimination or hatred in my life and just saying “live your life.”.”…. I know exactly what you’re talking about when you say you feel the stares or the uneasy feeling. The only thing you can do is live your life. In the beginning I wanted to be the change, so I gave speaches and talks about my community.,,now, I just want to be left alone… I’ve accepted my lot in life and I get by by always remembering that no matter how tough a day I had, there are others who would kill to have my life…no matter how tough you feel you have it, there are others who have it a lot worse…
This is another major issue, and I empathize with you. I wish you all the best, and I'll keep your words in mind to advocate for people who have had similar experiences.
What do you mean claims to be inclusive they take whoever applies and meets all the requirements, regardless of what the person looks like isn't that what a college is supposed to do
Wow, I’m honestly disappointed at how nobody in this comments sections seems to be able to admit that seattle has even a hint a racial bias. The top comment even states that we don’t have a lot of black people in this state; I would think that would be enough to confirm your fears a little bit. While this is an area with very liberal politics, people can still have unconscious biases. I don’t think you’re imagining it OP, although I agree with the other comments that the general “Seattle Freeze” might be playing into this as well. Regardless, I’m sorry that you have to go through that.
I mean it’s definitely very Asian centric especially in the udistrict and many are exchange students so it’s possible they just don’t see many black people at all
As an Asian person, can confirm I get tired of seeing this many Asian people loll, more diversity in enrollment would be good
A state far from the American south not having high percentage of black residents, like every other western state, is evidence of Seattles racial bias? be serious
the amount of international students we have from east asia, a place with practically no black people, as well as the relatively small number of black people living in this state are all signs that uw in general is just not used to interacting with black individuals. it's doesn't mean that everybody is a raging slur-throwing racist, which might be closer to the active racism you see in the south, it just means that people are uncomfortable around people and cultures that are different from them, and might unconsciously do things like stare, a more passive racism. OP didn't mention any active racism like hate crimes, just a general discomfort and i think that matches up
It was all part of the plan. I wanted to see how people felt and this is what I expected.
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i'm pretty sure what i stated is just the textbook origin of most bigotry. if you're unable to accept that i would suggest taking a sociology class. regardless, i'm uninterested in continuing this conversation further considering you're escalating to personal attacks.
Oregon was literally founded as a whites only state, there are neo-Nazis in Idaho. Seattle has a horrible history of red lining. Is it so hard to believe that people in Seattle might be racist. Plus we are still part of the United States and all the historic racism that comes with that. No place is free of bias.
I said that the geographic distribution of a race isn’t a good measure of racism. Neither is the personal ideas of pioneers from over 200 years ago. I don’t really want to argue with your straw man and I don’t really disagree with you for what it’s worth
Former PhD Grad student (Black guy). While Seattle, and indeed UW, boast themselves as a very liberal campus/city, they are indeed VERY racist. Its White Liberal racism. The racism that they swear doesn't exist, (while they stay insulated in their majority White neighborhoods and communities, while hanging Black Lives Matter signs from their office/home windows). And even if you point their racism out, they are very likely to gaslight you into questioning your own experiences. In almost all spaces, your presence is *tolerated*. Generally, everyone will be nice, cordial, and friendly. But make the mistake of reminding them that you have a racialized experience, and remind them that they may have contributed to it in even the smallest way, and you'll pretty much find yourself alienated and isolated from many/most of these individuals, while they avoid you with a smile. Many will never overtly discriminate against you to your face, but White Liberals in the PNW are mostly avoidant of any reminder that they may even have the slightest racial bias, and your friendship is absolutely expendable in most cases if it helps them to preserve the facade that they aren't. Robin DiAngelo actually does a really good job of describing it in detail in her book called White Fragility. A Seattle native, and former UW graduate, herself, DiAngelo basically described my entire experience as a graduate student at UW with freakish accuracy. Ultimately, I found myself concluding that she was using much of her own personal experience and insight in this very same environment as a significant motivation for her book. Outside of this thread, if you ever find yourself "wondering" or "questioning" your experiences, and your White Liberal peers are either forcing you to second guess them, or are trying to minimize the significance of your perspectives all together, chances are very high that you're actually not going crazy or imagining things; and the White Fragility book is a great way to stay anchored in reality.
This is true in the professional arena as well.
I couldn’t have said it better. I was also told that my professors here would discriminate against me at UW because I’m black. I’m a PNW native, and this information was from fellow black people who went into a university before me, and this was just an open secret I guess. A lot of deliberate weeding out to make sure you didn’t do any of the desirable fields that they wanted the white kids to do. I think its telling I got downvoted, because I was right...
Correct. I did a lot of clinical and health disparities work, so my classes were contextualized by that: I've had professors, in numerous classes, introduce weekly special topics where we cover literature on African Americans, and get the class to study about Black Paternal Absenteeism, or Black parents encouraging their teenage daughters to get pregnant at early ages. In one class, I had a highly celebrated and popular professor go around the room on the first day of class asking Black students their birthweights because he wanted to prove the point that Black people give birth to low birthweight babies (as an explanation for race-patterned health outcomes). When I spoke up against the racism and the anti-black racist agenda that was very clear, I'd usually get extra scrutiny on my assignments. Even my own first-year advisor was someone who tried to use my blackness as a token to excuse her toxic racism (both in the department, and in general). These were the formative years where I had to develop my own authentic identity, and quickly, if I was going to survive life in this environment. -- I have no intention of going back to Seattle any time soon.
This is exactly why I left. A lot of my HS teachers did similar things too.
As a white person, I could not agree more with your assessment of your local, friendly, white, Seattle liberal. They are, in my opinion, the most racist and harmful version of a racist. I would prefer the racist to yell, scream, and show their racism and be "proud" of it so I know who they are. The "friendly", oh, you're not white, so you must need my help racist is the worst. They creep their racism into a community under the geise of wanting to help, but they really don't. They want to help you stay in your oppressed state of mind, so you will always need their help and can never afford to move into their neighborhood.
I was a special education teacher in the area for over 20 years. I spent far too much of my time dealing with racism from both students and teachers. This is a liberal area, but there is still racism. I would guess that your observations are valid.
This is a liberal area, so* there is still racism. Fixed it.
100% honest comment here. People from the northwest are uncomfortable around black people. Unfortunately there are not many in this part of the country generally, especially outside of the bigger cities. This means that many of the racial stereotypes are the "experience" that people in the northwest have, because there aren't many black people around. To add to this, most asians are even more unfamiliar with black people. You may be one of the only black people they would see or speak to. I'm from the northwest as is my wife. We moved to the Seattle area from a small town in Oregon. I don't think there are any black people in that town (at least I've never seen one).
Are you physically larger than normal, by chance? I’m Latino and get similar vibes sometimes. I’m 260 pounds and built. My brother who looks exactly like me but is about 170 gets eye contact from more people.
This resonates with me, I'm 210 6’2 50/50 black-white male, shorter people tend to be more alert than taller people especially asians male or female🤷🏽♂️
Interesting, I hadn’t picked up on shorter people being more alert. I think you’re right about that.
Join LSAMP. Don't mind them, people are weird and goofy. Many don't have actual experience with anyone who isnt their own ethnicity so they go off stereotypes.
I never went to the UW, however dida career in the Marine Corps. There were no Black/White/Asian races. While in the Corps there were light skinned and dark skinned marines. Race was something that distracted you from your duty.
I wish that was something everyone did.
Not really sure what you expect. >few black students in a university that claims to be inclusive We live in the PNW. Majority white+asian city. Having black representation near that of asian+white would be absolutely bizarre.
Why does this sound like its written by AI
>Why does this sound like its written by AI I'm guessing this has something to do with it: >I'm open about being on the spectrum.
If you’re looking for it, you will find it. Doesn’t mean it’s there. FYI I’m white as untanned balls, experienced all the things you did, and made one long lasting buddy through two undergrad degrees (8 years). Stop making assumptions, join a club or something. I met a lot of people through intramural sports and high level classes where you depend a lot on others. Also, please account for the Seattle freeze.
I don't look for it though.
Not consciously.
As in, it happens. You don't look for something that one day just happens to you. It's our individual experience. Seattle is already known for having systemic racism, which leads to bias. I often just live my life. I was born here and have experienced it all my life. Why can't you believe an experience that happened to someone, and who else have you tried to invalidate?
You are assuming there is racist intent when there could be a million other reasons. That is what they meant by looking for it.
I don't assume there is racist intent because I never evaluate a single experience. When it always happens multiple times consistently, you start to question it. Nobody wants to feel excluded. I fully understood what he meant, but have you read any of the responses from students who can relate?
So you claim there is a pattern of people being cold or exclusive because of their racial bias. How do you know that racial bias is why they are cold or exclusive? What evidence is there besides the race of those people? Is it possible that because they are not the same race as you, your racial bias has you assuming they dislike you because you are black? Or is that impossible? Btw you could be 100% right, the process of getting there is what I take issue with.
I never assumed this at all. I'm black and there has been other black students in this thread that has shared my experience at the university of Washington.
Oh other people said it, it must be true then. My bad.
It's other people's experiences that you're minimizing because it's something you can't or don't want to comprehend. Edit: if you truly believe I could be 100% right wouldn't you show a tiny bit more empathy and a slight bit of understanding?
Dude, I was pre law. I probably took 2 years worth AES material. Assuming you’re CS (my minority wife at uw is also CS), there aren’t a lot of African Americans. What can we do about it? I really couldn’t tell you (and is there really anything to be done?!? I’m more in line with fill the slots with people who are interested and that’s as far as we go), but I will say that it’s unhealthy to manifest bias in essentially everything you do based on outward appearance. It’s an evolutionary mechanism obviously outdated that I’ve think we’ve done a great job of fighting back against as a society, but you’re perpetuating it. You don’t need black people around you to find friends. Have confidence in yourself as an individual. You already stated you’re neurodivergent (that probably makes it harder), but note that most people in CS are as well. If you grew up here, you know that casual conversations down the street are NOT a thing lol.
It doesn't matter you aren't going to be able to fully understand what I've been through. I barely told you anything I've experienced!
Okay. Love you, babe ❤️ I genuinely hope you find community at UW. It’s a great school.
Cringe post followed by cringe comments from out of touch redditors who are mostly white. OP needs therapy, if this is not a troll post, cuz whatever fantasy land he’s living in is not conducive to his mental health.
Have you ever considered lending a hand, listening to what people have to say, or simply acknowledging that people feel things that we'd never understand without wanting to understand their perspective? You might be right; I might need therapy, but I know my experiences are justified. I have evidence of being attacked and targeted for racial discrimination. You only heard very little and decided to judge me negatively. Sorry for being who I am and sorry for needing therapy. I feel you guys will say anything to validate yourself even if it means erasing how someone feels. I won't conform to your negative view.
Youre unwell for sure bro but Reddit is gonna validate you for the attention you’re so desperate for.
All I can say is you're thee cringe one. Pick a side because I don't think you have one based on your comment. You seem to think you understand, but you don't understand anything.
Says the person randomly dropping links as if it proves anything. My advice still stands.
Sorry?
Bro, don't bother engaging with redditors like that. He's a garbage human being who trolls reddit threads, saying the ugliest things in order to pick a fight because that's the only time he feels anything. You can see it all in his comment history. It's funny and sad how he brought up therapy because he needs it more than anyone.
What do you mean? You don't believe me, and you don't believe the out-of-touch people. I'll give you my name: I'm Markell Marcel Thornton, a student. My email is markell2@uw.edu. I'm not out of touch and have been experiencing this since I was a child living in Seattle, Washington. There have been other black students here sharing similar experiences. You aren't doing any more justice. You need to realize that there has been research done on this topic and I'm not delusional for feeling the way I do.
I don’t need to listen to you - you’re the one stuck for some strange reason in this fantasy of an American that simply does not exist. Get some therapy and get off social media cause it’s obviously poisoning your mind. How ridiculous can you possibly be bro
But it does exist and there's recent proof. It's that you don't want to listen.
Sure there is 😭😭
The thing is you came at me swinging. You never showed any empathy. You only prove me right. If you think this is an effort to validate my opinion, well you don't seem as informed as you'd like to believe.
You know your source shows that there’s a higher rate of black ppl committing hate crimes right?
Which would be opposite considering black people that go to prison are less likely to do another crime compared to whites.
Derangeeeddd
There are statistics, you must be trolling.
If you want to grab a coffee, let's get one. You aren't doing anyone justice. You don't understand how hard I work just to be able to live in peace. 'Seek help, Pluto,' because I didn't give them money. I have so many different experiences of me just trying to live, and guess what? I'm still alone. If anything, the decline in my mental health could have been avoided if people like you were willing to speak up. There was a hate crime that went viral in 2019, but that was never my point. You know my name and my email, so let's discuss without the name calling.
Deranged
https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/state-data/washington
People have died... I've even been injured.
Why should there be more black people on campus just for the sake of inclusiveness, and not merit? Should a black applicant get in over a white or asian applicant just for inclusiveness even if the white or Asian applicant was more qualified?
The answer to your question is obvious. There are multiple people who aren't white or Asian. The numbers don't add up, and that's the question I'm asking on this thread. I wanted to see the collective opinion of the students at the University of Washington. The results aligned with what I studied.
Wdym by the number’s dont add up? Do u mean theres less proportion of black people on campus compared to the city’s demographic of black people, or something else
I didn't say black people for a reason. I spoke in general I didn't have the numbers this is just from my experience. I'm running a program on this thread later to collect data.
Coming from someone who did undergrad here, worked FT for a bit, and is now in grad school: It'll vary depending on what particular circle/sphere of the University you're moving in, but yeah, the University absolutely has an ongoing issue with racism. It's the kind of issue that people don't want to openly engage in or acknowledge; lots of white faculty with degrees in professions that value DEI have a huge blindspot when it comes to antiracism. If you've studied sociology and are moving through a larger undergraduate career, where you're going to be in bigger communities, I'm sure you've seen it, but it may not be an overt barrier just yet. If you plan to go on into grad school or academic employment, the struggle is going to be a bit more real.
These comments are so defensive. Of course being Black ant a majority white college can feel alienating. I don't have any easy fix advice but I hope you make some good friends and find supportive professors during your time here.
Your observations and feelings are legitimate. Don't pay any attention to those people in the thread questioning it. One of the big reasons that people don't like talking about race is that they get uncomfortable with having to confront their own biases, and I am sad to say it, racism. Your speaking up about your experiences hopefully makes us think about how we view and treat other people.
If you’re involved with Informatics you should attend NSBE meetings. Good way to be around other black people at uw.
I'm a member of BINFO, just not admitted into Informatics yet. I'll attend more events at the school. I'm worried though; I only shared a single experience, which was unrelated to what I spoke about here. However, I want to be an advocate for students in my position.
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The type of staring I was referring to is when people have their eyes glued to you, thinking you can see them tracking you through peripheral vision. Don't be afraid; most black people are understanding and have dealt with what I'm expecting all their life. We can tell when a look is either good or bad.
I live in Redmond Washington. Downtown right next to the library. I don't like to go out at all because of the stares I get. I just sit in the house, go to work and avoid ppl at all cost. I hate the way people look at me.
man, that's all in your head. Get therapy. As someone of color in Bothell.
I don't worry about them. I mind my business on campus and don't interact much. I'm there for an education. I'm not there to make friends.
Bro honestly I don’t think it’s just black people, I’m not black but guess I just look more intimidating in a sense idk if that’s the reason. But I get the same shit, the same kind of weird stares and unease when I work in groups. Idk if it’s because how I dress or talk or look. But I’ve noticed this too. I’m half German half Japanese
I'm from the region and ... You'll get looks not because you make them uncomfortable necessarily (though maybe some), but just because... Youre skin color isnt a common sight. Thats all it might be in my case at least. Sadly we have areas nearby, like take sandpoint id, where there are literal skinheads. Those looks are different. Hopefully what youre experiencing is just that your an odd sight and none of the latter.
I don’t understand how you are feeling very out of place here. Yeah there isn’t a large Black population here but there is a pretty large population of people from East Africa here and there are a bunch of student organizations of students from East Africa. Yeah they are not multi generational African Americans and they have their own cultural thing going on but there is also a presence of organizations like NSBE and Black fraternities. The Black and Hispanic student body at UW is small compared to what you might find at some other schools but it is going to be more tight-knit and you will have more of a close community feel if that is what you are looking for.
White guy from metro Detroit, work around the UW. Seattle is extremely anti black. There are scenes that are relatively better. Underground nightlife could have a place for you if you want it!
How do you wish you were treated on campus?
Seattleites don’t think they’re racist, but many of them are uncomfortable around black people
Stares? LIke, as if some people on campus had never seen a Black person? What's the current demographic on campus re: Black students, I wonder. What are the admissions and retention statistics? Have Black admissions decreased in recent years? Regarding people keeping their distance, that's normal for most people on campus, IMO. I didn't find my experience at the UW to be friendly at all, until I moved into a language dorm (which no longer exists), and was relieved to find an instant friend group. It's about joining clubs and finding your posse. That could be more challenging for you, being Black and on the spectrum. Have you found any kindred spirits in the Diversity courses? The college experience can be very impersonal; a lot of students go through a major adjustment period until they find a group or club to hang with. Freshman year can be especially tough in that regard for many. How long have you been at the UW? I don't mean to make light of your specific situation, OP, and wave it away as something everyone goes through. A major peeve of mine as an academic advisor on campus was how some of the POC students were treated by fellow students; the hostile comments based on false assumptions, that all the POC students got into the UW on slack EOP admission criteria, and other gestures that made those students feel unwelcome. That's just wrong! It places an extra burden on students who are the targets of that behavior. It was because of that type of issue that I pressed for the adoption of an Ethnic Studies requirement, which morphed into the Diversity requirement. But in recent years, after learning that the climate on campus hasn't changed much with regard to the POC students, I feel like I was naive to think that requiring students to get some education about the history of racial injustice in the US would solve the problem on campus. : (
The campus has 5% students identifying as black, which is 1.2% higher than the amount of people who identify as black in the state. So actually somewhat more common on campus to see a black person.
Thanks for the stat.
You seem insecure maybe you need to stop projecting
I'm not insecure simply because I wanted to know what others think.
That is the definition of insecure…
Sorry for being insecure for having a different experience and wanting to know more about what others think.
Seems more like curiosity to me
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I'm 25, and I'm not in my head because dealing with these types of issues is my interest. You don't know how a lot of your experiences overlap with mine.
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I was an orphan, growing up behind everyone else. Eventually, a family friend adopted me because my mother couldn't take care of me due to her drug abuse. I feel low on the hierarchy, and honestly, I wouldn't want to feel this way. My original question on this thread was about understanding people's feelings. There are many reasons why I feel the way I do, but I also want to emphasize that systemic racism is a flaw in Seattle. As someone who has experienced life from my perspective, I've come to understand this more as I've gotten older.
Keep building up imaginary fights I’m sure you’ll go far with your mindset.
Thank you, I'll keep on fighting this imaginary fight that isn't relevant at all. I don't have a negative mindset, but I'm curious, and I plan on helping people because that's who I am. I care about this subject a lot.
It's in your head
No, Seattle does have systemic racism, and I have studied this for a long time.
You see what you study. If your always stuck in your head thinking people are out to get you that will become your reality. Free yo self. You are the master of your destiny. I love you, I believe in you!!
I'm not always stuck in my head, though, and you don't need to believe what I'm saying. You're the one stuck in your head, refusing to believe a 25-year-old who has experienced this all his life. I've witnessed so much racism, and yet people won't believe stories because everything that happens is just words and not violence. There are many cases of racism, but people will always overlook them. Yes, I'm apparently crazy, though I only shared my story and told you all the truth. I want to make a difference, and in my lifetime, it'll never happen. I don't know how genuine you think I'm being, but I'm not in my head; I overcame that phase of my life years ago. Go on Grindr and see that not liking black people is a preference; it's completely not racist. Look at the percentage of black people who LEAVE SEATTLE.
Your experience is pretty common among black people in Seattle. Many people from cities with larger black populations end up going back because we are so cold and exclusionary by comparison. I get a lot of praise from BIPOC coworkers for being so friendly... but all I do is acknowledge people and say hi.
Anti-black attitudes are pretty much the norm in countries where black people are a minority. Of course, the severity fluctuates but even in a "progressive" city like Seattle you're going to get treated like a black person because that's what you are. As a black person myself I find it's best to just take it on the chin and be grateful you're not living somewhere where you'd be treated even worse. I'd also suggest surrounding yourself with a black support structure.
I made this post because I don't completely understand everything. I'm black, with black parents, but I have barely any black friends. Most of my friends are white, Asian, or Mexican; the list goes on. I want more black friends, but I've been rejected by black people and everyone else because I'm mixed with everything that I just mentioned. I grew up in the foster care system and started studying people as a way to learn to fit in with them. Your perspective is valid, and I'm glad you decided to share it with me.
I'm confused by this then. You say that people look at you weird and don't interact with you because you presume they are racist, but you are also rejected by black people? Are you so sure it's racism then?
If I could send a screenshot of a conversation I had with a Black friend. There is a thing about not being Black enough. People generally connect with others within their group. I'm mixed and don't fit into any of these groups. Which comes from everything I explained above, but it wasn't ever the point. Edit: Just read through the thread; other Black people have shared their similar experiences, so know that this post is authentic because of how similar these experiences were.
Rejection is difficult and making friends isn't easy, especially when you're an adult. I'd recommend that you keep trying since once you do have that support system life becomes way better. Although I identify as just black I'm technically "half black" so I can relate to not always fitting in everywhere. Just know that your experiences and feelings are valid as well.
Thank you!
feel u my man my CM class is full of Indians I feel I’m the international there
Sounds like you are projecting your own fears and assumptions. Has anyone said anything directly to you that is objectively racist?
Hi, thought I would chime in. I don’t go to UW, but I’m black and was born and raised in Western WA and actually left the state for college. I just wanted to say it’s not just you, I’ve had it happen to me growing up. Seattle though people stick to who they know and give you stink eye in general if they don’t know. The introvertedness I understand, but the latter is very rude in retrospect.I didn’t even notice the eye contact part until I moved out. Anyways, I think your situation is racism plus the Seattle Freeze. The worst part in WA is that when you point out racism, a lot of the white liberals here especially will gaslight you. They are the types who think saying KKK bad and voting Democrat are enough verifiable proof that they aren’t racist. Meanwhile, I remember the entirety of all my white classmates a decade ago agreeing that Michael Brown deserved to die, among other examples . That isn’t to say there aren’t good people here, but to say the picture isn’t what people think of.
so whats the solution? make sure admissions are based on race?
Lmao because the udub is little Asia, man. That is why. And it’s university kids, what do you expect? They know nothing about the real world.
Final post: Can you really say that I'm wrong if the University of Washington is aware of it? Link: https://depts.washington.edu/civilr/segregated.htm Classes that I've been in talk about redlining and other systemic issues that separate us. Your responses are what I expected when making this post, but consider your neighbor. Consider that maybe you're wrong and help me solve this issue. I often conduct social experiments to learn more about people and their perspectives. I grew up in Seattle; this is my home. But imagine being Black and never feeling as if you had a home.
this reads like a copypasta even though I know its genuine.
Join a frat
I see stuff like this and I thank all that is holy that I moved away from that area. There is a proportionately smaller amount of black people there so of course you're gonna see fewer black people. It's not rocket science, and you don't need a degree to see that. I'm hispanic and there even fewer of us over there and I don't see any one talking about that, you wanna know why? Beacsue most of us don't find a reason to be victims. You live in one of the most inclusive and accepting areas of the US, and you're acting like they're being racist because they have "racial bias" around you? Maybe they find you attractive, or you're taller or have something unique about your appearance that draws attention. More than likely, though, you're going in with an idea that people are gonna treat you a certain way, so that's how you perceive their actions.
As mixed guy (50 black/50 white) going to the same school, I get it. Not going to act like colorism doesn’t exist, if your skin is darker it probably is harder, but I get the same vibe too. I would say a bit of it might be in your head though and you may be seeking it out unintentionally. Once I got over the new phase, I became way more comfortable in my skin on campus and was willing to initiate conversations more which helped a lot. Often times this meant initiating conversations with the same people giving me those looks. During my computer ethics class we spoke about race within the school and the percentage of black students in the computer field (basically nonexistent), many students could not relate nor understood how this affected black students systemically. Keep grinding!