The Stories We Could Tell

What? When was the last time you wanted to say something, but couldn’t? Our words possess an unquestionable power that is often overlooked. Until it is denied, we tend to take our freedom of speech for granted. The isolation we feel when this right is taken from us is one of the cruelest punishments of all. This is why it is important to seize the opportunity to speak out against the wrongs we see in society when given the chance. The following three authors are prime examples of those who used their words to challenge social myths and structures that perpetuate oppression.

In his writing, “Negative Growth”, José Ángel N. begins by addressing the “cup of promise” — the myth of economic growth that draws so many people to the United States. But this pursuit of happiness comes at a price. “Their real conundrum began once they willingly stuck around, only to get on their knees and scrub toilets, mow lawns and dust the fancy furniture in mansions in tony neighborhoods, where soon they were belittled by the very people whose economy and comfortable lifestyle had tempted them in the first place. In spite of the backlash and resentment, the young men had decided to stay — why? They had discovered, as my returning neighbors did, the uniqueness of the place that reluctantly hosted them — its inherent capacity to foster growth” (N. para. 6). In exchange for economic advancement, you must give up an aspect of your identity as invisibility is forced upon you. What should you do in this situation? If you speak out, you draw attention and are punished. If you remain quiet, you’re overlooked but not safe from unfairness. It becomes the force that threatens harm if you attempt to break out.

Similar themes of invisibility are evident in Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches. In her book, Audre Lorde covers issues regarding sexuality, class, race and more, rationalizing that our diversity is empowering and should be admired rather than hidden. The chapter, “The Transformation of Silence into Action”, focuses on the invisibility so many of us are forced into and the stifling silence that results from it. “What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence?” (Lorde 41). We all have disadvantages due to factors we cannot change. And yet even though these aspects of our identity make us stand out, we are convinced that we would be safer to remain silent and hide. When no one is willing or have the means to speak out, we continue through life thinking we’re all alone, failing to realize that we share experiences with others who are equally afraid to speak out. This perceived isolation is suffocating.

To counteract this internalized helplessness, James Baldwin proposes the solution can be found in a solid educational foundation. In his essay, “A Talk to Teacher”, Baldwin introduces us to what he identifies as the force which threatens our social order. Baldwin first introduces us to the “paradox of education”. We are reminded that there would be chaos if we were to live in a disorganized society, while a society is only as good as the people it creates. If you want a nation that is constantly growing, its very citizens need to be models of critical thinking and forward. Therefore, Baldwin concludes that the main purpose of education is to promote autonomy and allow each individual to develop their own identify. However, those with independent thought have the ability to recognize the imperfections within society and will strive to change them, which is problematic to a society which believes it is already functioning well. This paradox is given an additional layer of complexity when factoring race into the equation. Regardless of our intentions, Baldwin notes disparities between groups prevent rapid social upheaval. And while this uneven distribution of opportunities stalls the evolution of social structure, it does not fulfill the single goal of education — to prompt growth for the individual and the society in which they live in.

So What? In his essay, Baldwin focuses on the paradox of education as it applies specifically to African Americans. Throughout his writing, he touches upon his own experiences. Growing up, he was aware of the oppressions that were placed everywhere he went, but could not explain why they were present. As children we only learn part of African American history. But there is an unspoken power that comes with understanding. “If, for example, one managed to change the curriculum in all the schools so that Negroes learned more about themselves and their real contributions to this culture, you would be liberating not only Negroes, you’d be liberating white people who know nothing about their own history” (Baldwin 4). By shedding light to this previously hidden side of history, more opportunities to understand identities and articulate thoughts are provided. Without it, the potential and energy held within the child in question is lost. In the paradox of education, their experiences allow them to see the issues within society, but lack of voice leave them ever-reaching for change.

This sort of helplessness is evident in “Negative Growth”. N. begins by describing his own experiences with negative growth. He recalls as a child admiring the successful young men who came home to show off their earnings from “a place where apparently everyone did well” (para. 1). At the time, it didn’t matter what jobs they had to possess these goods — all that mattered was that these men were “the very embodiment of success” (para. 2). And so of course he too would embark on a journey to the north where dreams come true. But he, like so many others, would find out that what was promised is not necessarily what was given. In addition to the material goals expected from the cup of promise, he and countless other undocumented individuals became trapped behind “an increasingly militarized border” (para. 13) and a life of invisibility. From here, the human right to speak is taken away as a result of negative growth. Cast as the negative growth of the nation, we have come to be regarded as a disease, an unwelcome presence that must be removed immediately, like a cancer. This signals another kind of negative growth: a contraction of America’s promise to welcome the tired, huddled masses” (Ángel para. 22).From here, silence must be taken for the sake of safety, leaving nothing but gnawing helplessness in its wake.

In each of the examples, we see can observe the effects fear and oppression has on us. Straightaway, Lorde introduces herself as a minority — Black, gay, and a woman. Throughout her writing, Lorde stresses the importance of language as a means of transformation. But through her experience, she wants us to understand in the end, our silences will do little to protect us. “And that visibility which makes us most vulnerable is that which also is the source of our greatest strength. Because the machine will try to grind you into dust anyway, whether or not we speak. We can sit in our corners mute forever while our sisters and our selves are wasted, while our children are distorted and destroyed, while our earth is poisoned; we can sit in our safe corners mute as bottles, and we will still be no less afraid” (Lorde 42). For if we remain silent and neglect our need to speak out, our words burn in our throats and eat us up little by little until the day where we can no longer hold it in. Instead, we must take turns teaching and learning from one another to achieve constant growth. For even if you can’t quite explain, you must always try to share what is important to you. “The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences between us, for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken” (Lorde 44).

Now What? Despite our differing challenges, Lorde stands behind her unwavering belief that there is no hierarchy of oppressions. Even though one person may not share the same exact experiences as another, this does not mean that their stories should not be shared. Through genuine listening, we find that our oppressions are in fact interconnected. To achieve lasting growth, Lorde recommends we first utilize the principles of Umoja, “the decision to strive for and maintain unity in self and community” (Lorde 42), and Ujima, “the decision to build and maintain ourselves and our communities together and to recognize and solve our problems together” (Lorde 43). Personally, I still struggle to decide what is most important to me. Until I have perfected the practice of Kujichagulia — or “self-determination” as Lorde explains — I can act by supporting others and what they hold close to their hearts, which inevitably promotes growth for all in the community.

Baldwin states that “it is your “responsibility to change society if you think of yourself as an educated person” (Baldwin 6). As Baldwin described in the paradox of education, it is time to apply what I have learned over the years in my education by recognizing issues within my community and try to fix them. The thought is daunting, so it would be best to start small and work my way up. To begin, I can simply observe and listen to the voices who are only able to whisper. Above all, never underestimate the power our words hold. We are all constantly learning and growing. And if the goal of education is truly to create independent thinkers, then the potential to grow and improve society as a whole lie within each of us.

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