Morocco Peace Corps Volunteer Tia writes: I thought I knew what it was like to be a black person here in Morocco, but I learned that there is a real difference between may color and a darker black person



"Another volunteer who is very dark skinned came to visit me. I thought when she told me that she experienced racism here, that we had experienced the same. To me, we are the same color. We're in the same category. But when I saw the expression on people's faces when I introduced her, I was shocked. I have seen that look before. Its the look that a racist person gives you when they realize that you are their white son's black girlfriend. It is the look that racist people give you when they see your kinky african hair. It is the look racists give you when they think that you are trying to move outside the boundaries that they believe you should have. It was a look of disgust. It was a look that I have not received here in this country. And I realized that among some people here, there is a dislike of very black people. Here in Africa. It broke my heart."

Morocco Peace Corps Volunteer Tia writes: I thought I knew what it was like to be a black person here in Morocco, but I learned that there is a real difference between may color and a darker black person

Thursday, February 23, 2006

On the Subject of Color

Caption: Caption: Director Tschetter participates in Volunteer Tia Tucker's English class.

I learned something so interesting last weekend that made me think of Steve's entry. I know we all complain about the way we are treated sometimes in Morocco based on how we look. It varies from getting extra attention to getting totally ignored. I thought I knew what it was like to be a black person here in Morocco, but I learned that there is a real difference between may color and a darker black person.

Now, I have never been , nor have I considered myself light skinned. In America, my mom and I are both called Black even though she is a shade or two darker than me. In the south especially, even mixed children will most often be called black. i guess that comes from a history of trying to place people in groups so that it is easier to classify and segregate them. But I can think of two occasions in which I thought someone was white and it turned out they considered themselves black either because they had a black parent or grandparent. And I remember the opposite happening in Imitation of Life. (Which is fabulosa! I highly recommend that you see it.)

Anyway, I've mentioned before that in Morocco, people won't say I'm black. In fact, they laugh when I say I am. Go ahead and scroll up to the picture of the diversity league. Do you see 3 white girls in the picture. No, there is obviously one girl of the African persuasion. And that's me. Without a doubt. But here in Morocco, they call me Smrrra. This means tan or brown. I used to laugh when people would call me this or even when they would call me Luween which means colored, and is considered a compliment. I used to laugh and gently explain to people that there was nothing wrong with the color black and that in our country black is beautiful. I would tell people that in some parts of Africa black is considered a symbol of life, like the color of fertile soil, and white is the symbol of death- that all people's colors should be respected for God is the one that created them. But something happened last week that made me just plain mad!

Another volunteer who is very dark skinned came to visit me. I thought when she told me that she experienced racism here, that we had experienced the same. To me, we are the same color. We're in the same category. But when I saw the expression on people's faces when I introduced her, I was shocked. I have seen that look before. Its the look that a racist person gives you when they realize that you are their white son's black girlfriend. It is the look that racist people give you when they see your kinky african hair. It is the look racists give you when they think that you are trying to move outside the boundaries that they believe you should have. It was a look of disgust. It was a look that I have not received here in this country. And I realized that among some people here, there is a dislike of very black people. Here in Africa. It broke my heart.
-Tia

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: February, 2006; COS - Morocco; Diversity; African American Issues

When this story was posted in November 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future.

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November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Michael O'Hanlon writes: The New Congress and Iraq 9 Nov Amanda Host named new PC Press Director 12 Nov Shays will reach across the aisle for answers in Iraq 8 Nov Petri loses chance to become committee chairman 8 Nov Doyle gets a mandate to improve education 8 Nov Eunice Shriver spends election night with Schwarzenegger 8 Nov Donna Shalala writes: Eliminating gender bias in universities 7 Nov Robert Paul upheld peace amid Afghan war 6 Nov Carol Bellamy receives humanitarian award 6 Nov Joseph Opala studies Black Seminoles 6 Nov David C. Liner named PC Chief of Staff 3 Nov PCV Matthew Costa remembered 2 Nov Ethiopian-American community rallied for Garamendi 2 Nov Christopher Poulos named Teacher of the Year 1 Nov Peace Corps Writers and the Lost Generation 1 Nov James Rupert writes: A deadly attack in Pakistan 31 Oct Hill meets secretly with North Korea to restart talks 31 Oct Jimmy Carter remembers mother in Peace Corps 30 Oct Leigh Emery travels world for science 27 Oct IFAW breaks ground for new headquarters 25 Oct RPCVs Podcast Around the Globe 23 Oct

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Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races Chris Shays claims victory in closely watched race Jim Walsh wins re-election to Congress in close race Tom Petri unopposed for re-election to Congress Sam Farr wins re-election to Congress Mike Honda wins re-election to Congress Jim Doyle wins re-election to Wisconsin Governorship Kinky Friedman loses in long shot bid for Texas Governor John Garamendi elected Lt. Governor of California

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October 22, 2006: This Month's Top Stories The crisis over North Korea's nuclear bomb test 14 Oct Hill faced strong opposition for denuclearization agreement 8 Oct John Coyne writes: The first Peace Corps book 20 Oct Thomas Tighe moderates discussion with President Clinton 17 Oct PC announces Community College degree program 18 Oct Donna Shalala expresses dismay over football brawl 16 Oct Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley defends Lebanon policy 16 Oct Jan Guifarro elected Chair of NPCA Board 15 Oct Carl Pope writes: From the pump to the polls 13 Oct Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez Says Africa a Priority 12 Oct Chris Dodd opposes Bush terrorism bill 10 Oct Isaac Edvalson is founder of Africa's Tomorrow 9 Oct The Man who turned down Shriver 8 Oct Mae Jemison tells girls to reach for the stars 6 Oct Loren Finnell receives Shriver Award 4 Oct Matt Sesow paints onstage during opera 2 Oct Film examines anti-malaria drug lariam 29 Sep Blackwill dismisses Musharraf's claims 27 Sep Ron Tschetter sworn in as 17th Peace Corps Director 26 Sep Rape Victim Student Gets $1 Million From City College 26 Sep Ricardo Chavira narrates Public Service Announcements 25 Sep

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Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

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Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

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The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

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PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

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History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

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