Integrating into a "New World"

 Jerry Craft's brilliantly witty and eye-opening novel places us in Jordan's shoes as the new kid. We learn he's not only the new kid at Rad, but the new kid in this white-washed student body. Jordan makes sense of his world--he gains control--through illustration. For example, in the black-and-white sketches with bannered titles he includes throughout the novel. The most important aspect of this novel, however, is learning about this new world through Jordan's eyes. His thoughtful illustrations and recounts of his experience show the readers the microaggressions and discrimination the black community faces from the modern white community. Through his personal experiences, the readers understand what it is like for a person of color to integrate into a predominately white world. 

The most prominent obstacle Jordan faces in this novel is microaggressions, and they never seem to die down. For example, Andy and Ms. Rawle call Jordan and Drew by the wrong names. This suggests that they never consider their individuality or desire to understand them on a deeper level. They just get confused with other black students because they "look" and "sound" the same. Their teachers look to them for insight about oppression, and they continue to suggest books about black broken homes because they think the students of color will relate. This deep stereotyping contributes to the racial divide. By trying to "relate" to these students on a false truth, they actually push them away. Because of the representations of the black community in the media, history, or other mainstream narratives, they immediately attribute thee false qualities to them. Therefore, they are unable to integrate into their communities because their lack of understanding creates an invisible yet impermeable barrier. 

My high school was eerily similar to Rad. I went to a Catholic College Prep School with a large white community. A lot of students were wealthy like Jordan's peers. They owned second homes and went on expensive vacations. They lived in a little bubble. We had a small number of black students who experienced what Jordan did. During the Black Lives Matter protests this summer, many of these students spoke out about their experiences at my high school on social media. They were called by the wrong name, accused of doing things they did not do while they watched white kids do the same thing with no consequences, and were altogether neglected. We had different academic "tracks" (Honors, A1, and A2), and most of the students of color ended up in A2. No one tried to understand them, and they were constantly stereotyped and racially profiled. Our white students engaged in extremely problematic behavior, which they most likely learned from their uneducated parents and lack of real-world exposure. For example, this summer, some of these black students posted a screenshot of a white student's "finsta" (fake instagram--basically for joking around with your friends) where she put on black face and made the caption "I'm cooked like a n-----!". Student also dressed up as prisoners and wrote "Hillary for Prison!" on their jumpsuits. 

Reflecting on this whole semester, I realize how these comedic novels broaden my understanding of racism, oppression, and mental health. By talking about these issues in a more palatable way, I was able to understand them on a deeper level and change my outlook on the world. I also read novels from varying perspectives--some which I had never experienced before--and now have a better understanding of those experiences. Now, I can change or "check" my own behavior to ensure that I am being inclusive, understanding, and objective in my daily interactions. Similarly, I enjoyed reading the research articles. I really enjoyed learning about the psychology behind humor, and that also broaden my perspective about the human experience. I understand others in a new way now, and I will continue learning about different groups to grow as a person. I'm very grateful for the new perspective this literature gave me.