Opinion | We don’t belong in your spaces, so we create our own

Olivia Harden
Opinions Editor

Black people have often had to create their own spaces in this country because their accomplishments are generally not recognized by the general public. This is why I wasn’t surprised when Beyonce was snubbed at the Grammy Awards for Album of the Year. The last Black woman to win the award was Lauryn Hill in 1999.

Now this isn’t to say the Grammy Awards are inherently racist, but even Adele herself was able to recognize that the only reason she won Album of the Year was because of her privilege. Art is inherently subjective and it’s risky to create an album whose target audience is Black women, but that’s exactly what “Lemonade” is, an ode to Black women complete with poetry and visuals. Expecting the Grammy Awards judges to get the themes, the visuals, the poetry and how all of that can be tied together in a way that is meaningful for Black women is pretty unattainable.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen objectivity be subjective at an awards show. How can it not be when you’re judging art? Of course you’re going to bring your life and personal experiences to the table. It’s the whole reason why after last year’s Oscars and the disaster that was #Oscarssowhite, the revamped academy includes more diversity, and I think it was a smart move. A diverse group of people will have a diverse group of experiences and levels to bring to the playing field.

It’s this constant cycle of being unsuccessful in white spaces that leads to the creation of spaces that are our own, whether that be historically Black colleges and universities, Black student unions, Black Entertainment Television, or even adaptations like “The Wiz.” While spaces like these may seem exclusive to some, or a step in the wrong direction, the actuality is that those spaces give us a place to celebrate Black excellence in a way that the mainstream media refuses. The Grammy Awards, for example, often uses Black artists for entertainment, such as Beyonce’s performance at the awards show, but often don’t reward them for their accomplishments.

It is not comparative to when people ask for a white history month or a “White Entertainment Network.” Black spaces are only exclusive because they have to be, focusing on celebrating the accomplishments of Black people. It’s not segregation as some may suggest, but rather a safe haven. Mainstream spaces may not be intentionally exclusive but often are due to a long history of being that way. Systemic racism is historic and will take active processes in order to undo it. If a system has remained the same since it was founded, you will often find that racism is embedded in that system. It may have been intentional at its founding, but often it’s not anymore, it’s just that no one bothered to change the system.