When you read about the abolishment of slavery or colonialism in class, you have to speak up.

Every once in a while, a forward thinking, well-meaning and progressive professor will include uncomfortable reading passages in their class and invite difficult but necessary conversation about slavery, colonialism, racism and everything else to that effect. That is, you will very rarely encounter the kinds of professors who are willing to “go there.” In the lucky and rare instances during which you do encounter passages to this effect, however, it is imperative that you speak up. When the non-black people around you pore over the different social, political and economic consequences of colonialism and slavery, they will turn to you to tell them. You have to tell them or you would have failed every Black person in the world who is counting on you to represent them. Most importantly, however, you have to speak up because the alternative is ingratitude towards the nice white people who have created a platform dedicated to your representation.

The general rule is to peak up at least once. When anybody mentions blackness or Afric and you are the only black person occupying that space (highly likely at a PWI), your survival consequentially relies on your willingness and capacity to represent “your people.” So when you get the chance, don’t fail us.