“Do not allow yourself to be hyphenated. Do
not stay in a box by checking the box.” Nicole Draffen
In 2009 Nicole Draffen decided to run a
marathon in Wales, and then she would visit London. Her stay in England,
however, turned out to be a life-transforming experience.
“Little
did I suspect that trip would turn into a one- year-long stay; or that my
desire to discover another culture would lead me to discover myself within the
context of my own country.”
It is refreshing to discover a writer who
illuminates matters that are normally neglected and overlooked. An independent
thinker is not afraid to face the truth and to inspire others to think outside
of the box. This is what Nicole Draffen
does. She combines her experiences, her examination of US history and her
wisdom to offer thought-provoking reflections and suggestions for social change.
Born and raised in California, Nicole had the
carefree attitude of every child belonging to a loving family. Children are not
encased in the prejudices and stereotypes that society has in store for them.
Nicole Draffen points it out well when she refers to her own childhood:
“We smile and talk to everyone, wholeheartedly
enjoying ourselves and never contemplating that others may be scrutinizing us
as something different than what we know we are: ourselves…”
As a
child, Nicole Draffen was bombarded with social messages that tried to convince
her that she belonged to a group for which society has preconceived notions and
ideas. “I had already noticed the
cartoons I loved on Saturday mornings, mostly ‘the Looney Tunes’ cast of Bugs
Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, usually portrayed any brown character as an
illiterate imbecile. Or they were streetwise hustlers, talking in jive,
otherwise known as ‘negro slang,’ such as the black crows in Disney’s ‘Dumbo’
as well as King Luis in ‘The Jungle Book.’
Even at that age, it wasn’t hard to pick up on the less-than-subtle
message that brown and black either meant dumb or token, superficial characters
meant to be ridiculed.”
The
characters that people of color had to represent in American sitcoms did not
reflect who she was. Nicole never allowed the negative stereotypes imposed by
American television to influence her life, but she soon became aware of the
ways in which the biases and stereotypes promoted by the American entertainment
industry and ads played a role in how other people judged her and treated her.
Without knowing it, however, she created a mantle of awareness, humor and
resilience to protect herself and to adapt to the reality of being labeled as
African-American, a term that does not even define the complexity of her roots:
African, Scottish, French, and Native American.
During her trip to England, there was no
hyphen to define her. She was considered fully
American. She was astonished and happy to see that British television did not
show the stereotypes that American television ingrains in the American psyche.
Also, interracial couples were a normal part of the social landscape, not an
exotic element to be seen with distrust.
I loved to read about her experiences abroad
and how these experiences awakened her to her reality in America. She threads
various situations, reflections and experiences into a compelling read. Furthermore,
with every chapter of the book, she builds up motivation and enthusiasm to
endeavor to work toward a better future together.
Dissolving “the mantle” of defense she had
developed throughout her life, her authentic self felt liberated, because in
England she was viewed as fully American, not as a version of her identity that had
been fabricated by the use of a hyphen. This enabled her to “engage in experiences with a clean slate
free of preconceived notions and expectations.” The word “diversity”
acquired a different meaning, one that felt more genuine to her.
If you
think that the negative stereotyping of minorities promoted by the American
entertainment industry has no consequences, let me introduce you to the words
of Dr. Paul Bloom, one of her Yale professors:
“The
problem is that there is a lot of evidence that even when we don’t want to rely
on stereotypes, even when we consciously believe that we are not biased,
nonetheless we are influenced by them and fall back upon them. In an
interesting way, we are at war with ourselves.”
Nicole Draffen explains that American
president Theodore Roosevelt loathed the hyphen, which he felt was an
international division of the races that undermined America. He made clear that
one did not have to be born in American soil to love and respect the country.
The use of the hyphen to classify Americans
according to race and ethnicity is a way of dividing people and putting them
into boxes.
We should all dig deep into our consciousness
and ask ourselves about the way we are conditioned to influence our judgments of a
person by the use of a hyphen. It is imperative then to examine the effects of
prejudices attached to race and ethnicity.
After reading her book, I also feel compelled
to highlight how an accent can pervade assessments about a person. I encourage you to read the BBC article on this specific
issue here.
Hyphened
Nation explores the roots of the US Constitution and emphasizes the need to
get rid of the hyphen. It proposes steps to embrace our differences and to live
up to the promises of equality, justice and freedom for all.
Hyphened Nation is an excellent resource for
teachers and scholars, a thought-provoking book to open up discussions on the
need to treat everybody with equal respect.
Nicole
Draffen does not believe in the pride in one’s skin color.
“Pride
in one’s skin color is one of the most divisive concepts in American history.
This applies to all ethnicities. You should be proud of the person you are
inside your skin.” Self-respect is what matters.
Hyphened Nation is a refreshing read with deep insights, history exploration and an
invitation to build a future of justice and equality for all.
“Our differences are what make us stronger when
we come together, for we each bring something of our own to the metaphorical
table, and to the project that I am calling ‘Don’t check the Box.’
Hyphenating people limits our economic,
educational, societal and cultural growth.
I
highly recommend Hyphened Nation. The
book is a seed of transformation and hope to build a future in which each
person is valued for their complexity and their own unique contributions to
American society, irrespective of their ethnic and racial backgrounds.
Honoree of three prestigious Literary Awards,
The Independent Authors Network (IAN) Book of the Year Award 2021, the
IndieBRAG B.R.A.G. Medallion and the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. The book has been translated to French, and you can also get the version in French.
I thank the author for kindly sending me a
copy of Hyphened Nation to write a review in My Writing Life.
