There’s a lot to learn when we sit down and share with folks from other generations – whether it’s sitting down with you child, your parent, a grandparent or a family friend. So, we here at KBIA decided to explore some of these intergenerational relationships through conversation.
Local Black Lives Matter organizer, Christopher Watkins Jr., recently sat down with his 13-year-old daughter, Jordyn Cole, to talk about the racism and prejudice they have experienced in Columbia schools.
Jordyn Cole: Have you ever experienced racism in school?
Christopher Watkins Jr.: Oh, yeah. It started back when I was in first grade here at West Boulevard, but the biggest one, for me, was when I was at Rockbridge, and when I'm about to tell you might sound wrong, but it’s how it was.
I went to Rockbridge in 2008, and when I first got there – of course I had white friends, I had black friends – but I wasn't allowed to kick it with my white friends because at that time, they had what you call a – quote, unquote “[N-word] wall.”
So, I wasn't allowed to kick it with them, and they weren't allowed to kick with me because of my color. So, I really didn’t want to be at the school, but I had no choice, I had to go to school.
So, I had to find ways to, you know, still talk to my friend without being called certain words and things like that, which I had been called the N-word and things like that, but it really hit me hard when I was at Rockbridge.
Jordyn: I've seen racism, but I haven't like, personally, had to deal with it. Like, I've heard rumors of someone saying things about black people, but I didn't know if it was true or not, so, I just ignored it because I didn't want to get involved with that…
Christopher Watkins Jr.: But dealing with just hearing it, it’s hard not to because when we hear it now, we go for it – like, “ let's find out what's going on.” I'll be honest, a lot of people if they are talking about it and you confront it, they're not going to say they said it. They're gonna lie to you. Just because now somebody’s stepped in their face about it.
A lot of things that happen with racism, you don't know about unless it's on camera. So, it's not on camera, you know, they're not gonna tell you the truth. Or like somebody might be driving by and call and call you the N-word. That’s happened plenty of times.
Sometimes you might have to confront it. Because, like I said – your generation coming up behind us, like, the world is for you guys. This moving we do is for you. So, you might have to be that voice, so other people can follow suit. You might have to actually just confront it so people can follow, so the change could continue to happen, so history don't repeat yourself.
Jordyn: When do you think the change will happen?
Christopher Watkins Jr.: I don't really have an answer for that, like, it's hard to be like, ‘it's going to change in about a year or next 10 years,” because change happens within self first, and then we can try to work on the community. Then we can try to work on the state, you know, then we can work on a lot more.
But individuals have to be ready to change themselves first, and they have to go out there and register to vote. A lot of things happen because people don't register to vote, and the ones that are registered, a lot of them don't vote, and that's a problem.
Our ancestors fought for us to vote, and then we don't vote. Like when you’re old enough to vote, make sure your vote counts. People say, “Oh. My vote don't count. They gonna do what they want.” Naw – your vote counts. But that's one of the biggest problems we have in our in our nation is people not voting.
