Residents Look for Answers To the Question of Racism

Candace Braun

How to define race was one of the main issues discussed at the Princeton Human Service Commission's (PHSC) community dialogue, the second held in as many months.

Ethnicity, culture, social construct, and color were some of the answers to that question from approximately 20 residents who gathered at the Princeton YWCA on Tuesday, July 12.

A former worker for the U.S. Census, Bill Strong said he remembers a time when everyone was labeled either black or white, and other ethnicities had to choose which term best described them.

"Our country has racism in its DNA," said PHSC member Wayne Meisel, who added that he has had to counter what he he had been taught throughout his life in order not to become a racist himself.

"I have felt more racism in this town than ever before in my life," said Ivonne Clark, who grew up in New York City before moving to the area. "I just grew up being Ivonne.... It was never a race issue.... I see myself as who I am; I don't know how other people see me."

The Latino community liaison for PHSC, Ms. Clark said that since moving here she has felt a difference in the way others treat her, such as being asked how she manages to speak and dress so well, and being followed around suspiciously by store owners while shopping.

She even recalled how one realtor told her that there was "nowhere to live in Pennington" when she was looking at houses.

"I didn't make the connection at the time that I was the wrong color," she said.

There are even realtors in the Princeton community who discourage people from buying a house in the Community Park School area because their children would go to school with "those people," said Cynthia Mendez, director of PHSC, referring to the minorities in town.

A 40-year resident of Princeton, Lance Liverman said that he observes more segregation today than he did growing up.

"I think we're more separated in our groups today than I've ever seen in my life," he said, adding that he has observed groups of students who stick together in crowds outside John Witherspoon Middle School or Princeton High School and never mingle with one another.

Race In Society

While some may divide Princeton into black and white, there were more than 12 nationalities in the backgrounds of those attending the dialogue, from Chinese to Cherokee Indian.

Residents were asked to recall the first time they realized there was race in society.

Pamela Elmi, director of program development at YWCA Princeton, recalled the shock she felt when she moved from New Jersey to Georgia at the age of 25.

"It was so intense; it really hit me," she said, adding that divisions such as black, white, gay, or straight, were extremely visible in the community.

One resident, Linda Oppenheim, recalled growing up in a school district with an excellent choir, led by an even more excellent choir director. However, she recalled that the director wouldn't allow blacks to sing, because "the quality of their voices was different."

One of the biggest issues in today's society, is that many people feel that race issues don't affect them, said K.P. Wesoloh: "You can be a Caucasian adult in this world and never think about race."

Discrimination is taught in the home, through a passing comment at the dinner table, or even by referring to the maid as a "girl," when she is a 40-year-old woman, said Ms. Mendez.

Several residents agreed that today's children need to be taught the right way to address race before they become adults.

"There are people who thought in our lifetime racism would be gone: why isn't it?" asked John Powell, a member of Princeton school board's minority education committee.

The community dialogue will continue in August with an ongoing discussion of race issues. For information on how to get involved, contact Princeton Human Services at (609) 688-2055.