Maya

A Lesson From Kindergarten

Maya James: Background

• Name: Maya James

• Age: 19

• Location: Traverse City, Michigan

• Ethnicity: Mixed Race (Black/White)

Incident in Kindergarten

• Event Description:

  • Maya experienced a racially charged incident after enrolling in kindergarten.

  • A classmate used the N-word towards her during a minor conflict, possibly over a typical childhood issue such as sharing markers or cutting in line.

• Initial Reaction:

  • Maya was shocked and confused, having never encountered the word before.

  • She posed rhetorical questions to herself:

    • Should she be upset?

    • Could she use the same word back?

    • Who created the word?

    • Do adults ever use it?

• Realization:

  • This incident marked the beginning of her understanding of race and social dynamics.

  • Maya felt forced to mature quickly due to this experience.

Teacher's Intervention

• Teacher's Response:

  • Teachers attempted to address the situation by intervening physically and emotionally.

  • They made the boy write apology letters during recess, emphasizing being empathetic by looking into Maya's eyes.

  • One of the apology notes stated:

    • "I should have thought before saying black people are bad. To me, you are a good friend."

Lingering Effects

• Continued Bullying:

  • Despite the intervention, Maya faced ongoing bullying, including name-calling and physical aggression (rock throwing) in various settings: recess, bus stop, and after school.

  • Her emotional state during this time was affected by parental dynamics, as she often displayed disruptive behavior and irritability.

Conversations About Race

• Father's Influence:

  • Maya’s father, who grew up in Texas during the Jim Crow era, began discussing race with her post-incident, igniting serious conversations about race and history.

  • He addressed the painful history of African genocide and the legacy of white supremacy tied to the American slave trade.

• Impact on Maya:

  • This discourse shifted her perspective from being just a child to confronting her identity as someone with a complex racial heritage.

  • She felt the weight of history and unfairness, questioning why she was born Black.

Identity Struggles

• Racial Context in Her Community:

  • Traverse City is predominantly white (94%), making Maya feel isolated as a biracial child.

  • Despite being biracial, societal labels often categorize her solely as a person of color.

• Identity Crisis:

  • Maya constantly navigates between her Black and White identities, feeling like a puzzle piece trying to find where she fits in.

  • This ongoing search for identity has shaped her self-perception and experiences growing up.