Kamala Harris is not black; she has never
been black, and she will never be black, and I'm okay with that, and you should be too. So take it from a professional Jamaican
who has a PHD in this matter by way of being born and raised in the country my
entire life before migrating in my 20s. Kamala Harris' mom is Indian
and her dad is Jamaican, and one of the things that has upset me the
most is that Americans have simplified our diverse culture and history to match their
foolish identity politics by presenting the argument that Jamaican equals black. and
this couldn't be further from the truth. You see, the national motto of the United States
is In God we Trust, and although that may have been a common ideal that was agreed upon when
the constitution and the nation was being built, it largely isn't anymore because so many people
don't feel connected to or believe in religion. However, what has stood the test of time and is
undeniably confirmed by and held as a sacred truth among the people is the Jamaican national motto,
which says Out of Many One People. Never has a single phrase brought together people of different
backgrounds and ethnicities as this one. And it hurts my heart to hear people from the
United States who have never been to Jamaica, let alone met a Jamaican, decide what our
country's demographics are on our behalf. So, no Jamaicans are black is not accurate; most
Jamaicans or Caribbean people are black is also not accurate. We have so many Indian, Chinese,
Irish, English, African, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and other ethnicities among us.
And while most Jamaicans may have dark skin, I can guarantee you that almost no Jamaican will
trace both sides of their family back to Africa. It's a well-known fact and almost a meme at
this point that every Jamaican is mixed with many different races or ethnicities.
For example, my father is dark skin, and his family traces back to slaves who came
from Africa, whereas on my mother's side, her grandfather came from Scotland, and her
family, including herself, range from brown skin to white and easily fit in as white Europeans,
which technically they are, coming from Scotland. So, you may be thinking that I'm arguing against
myself here, because since Jamaicans are mixed, this proves someone like Kamala Harris can be both
Indian and black, but the thing is she is Indian and Jamaican, because we are much
more than just black and will never be reduced to that just to fit the identity
politics Americans try to put unto us. Another key thing to mention is that her
father said that he identifies as Indian Irish, and her family traces back to Irish who
came to Jamaica. Looking at pictures of him, you can clearly see that he has dark colored skin,
and I've heard people use this as the smoking gun, and it's a false equivalency and certainly moving
the mark as it relates to how the United States categorizes people. A dark-skinned
Indian, which there are millions of, is not the same as a black person of
African origin, and they are certainly not treated the same in the United States as
it relates to Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and Affirmitave action policies. A white South
African who migrates to live in America is now technically an "African American," but let's
be honest, they are not black and not treated the same in regards to these race-based policies
as a black South African would be. That's just to say that the policies, mindsets, and identity
politics in the US are not consistent at all, and it's evident that Kamala Harris is trying
to use the black card to get extra points. Now, am I saying that I am certain Kamala Harris
has no African lineage? No, looking at her father, he seems to be split 3 ways into Irish,
Indian, and Black or African. The reason for this is because his Irish roots are obvious
and can be traced easily, his facial features have the same structure as Indians, and
he has been seen with Afro-style hair, which does not present in dark Indians and is
a key distinguishing feature of black people. So Kamala's ethnicity might be 10% black or so,
but there are millions of white people in America that would be at least 1% African, so where do we
draw the line? How much black is enough? I'm not dictating who is black or restricting people's
ability to identify as a mixed race person, but my point is that typically black in
America refers to people of African descent, as evident by the example with dark-skinned
Indians, who are easily identified as Asians by their hair and facial structure and the fact
that no one would call them black and they would be included in the Asian demographic for all
intents and purposes throughout their life. In closing, being Jamaican or any other Caribbean
nationality does not equate to being black. We are more than that and are proud of being a
diverse people. Rihanna is not just black; she's from Barbados. Nicki Minaj is not just
black; she's from Trinidad. Now many of us from the Caribbean simply accept the term African
American because there really isn't another category that works for us. Even those who are
lighter skin don't really fit into the White or Caucasian bucket, but such is life with the
fallacies of American identity politics. Kamala Harris needs to focus on her achievements,
her plan for the United States, and how that will help the American people. Her identity and
skin color have no effect on her ability to be president and should have no bearing on
whether someone votes for her over Trump. I find it hilarious that Americans, especially
white Americans who so desperately want her to fit the minority box they have created,
tell me that Jamaicans are all black, or at least the majority are, and come from
Africa. The same Americans who, many, not all, frequently ask what language we speak in
Jamaica and think the country is in Africa and couldn't point to it on a world map, have
the audacity to decide what our ethnic makeup is and should be. No really, the Africa
thing is a massive inside joke in Jamaica; ask any Jamaican, and they'll tell you it
has happened at least 100 times to them. So, if Kamala Harris wants to run as
Indian and Jamaican, that's fine by me, but she is not black and will never be black.
and I'm okay with that, and you should be too.