The Upside of Black Anger

By Sasha Ashton

There was one day in high school that I will never forget.

I was a junior in an advanced academic program. I was active in student government and brought home more than a few awards for Model United Nations. Still, despite all of that, I was mostly known for being outspoken politically. I was the only Black student in my class and the only Black student on the student council. I was frequently put in situations where I had to speak on things that were not my responsibility for no reason other than my Blackness. I embraced it, and I knew the personal cost—embracing my Blackness in such a white space would always make me the subject of gossip.

I walked through the hallways of my high school every day, knowing my classmates saw me as the angry Black girl. I never expected to hear it from a teacher.

I participated in a class discussion, and the teacher, as teachers often do, played devil’s advocate to encourage us to strengthen our positions. So I pushed back, politely, the way any other student would, and he looked at me and said, “Why are you always trying to start fights, Sasha?”

I was taken aback.

To read more, please visit our Patreon