Diversity Digest - What's In A Word?

Author: Cassandra James, DEI Manager

Here's a little quiz. Match each word with its correct definition in your head, then click Read More:

Word	Definition
A. Race	1. the quality or fact of belonging to a population group or subgroup made up of people who share a common cultural background or descent.
B. Nationality	​2. categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups is generally viewed as distinct within a given society.
C. Ethnicity	3. the status of belonging to a particular nation

Working in the theatre industry, I’m sure we all know the importance of words, and ensuring clear communication.  Using the wrong word or phrase can cause unnecessary confusion. Even with the best of intentions, communication can go sideways when this happens. One such example is Race/Ethnicity/Nationality.  They are all very different things. 

Did you know the difference? Here are the answers from above:
1 --> B
2 --> C
3 --> A

So, for example, to describe myself I would say:   
Race: Black
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: Caribbean- American
​
Although I identify as a Black woman, what does that even mean? Who got to determine that I was Black as opposed to another designation? You may have heard the phrase “race is a social construct” and didn’t know what it meant. It means race is a man-made classification system. The idea of race was first introduced in the late 16th century because of European exploration and colonization.

Previously it was believed that there was scientific evidence regarding the differences in the races. One such theory that science used to “prove” a difference in races was craniology, in which the measurements of the skull was used as evidence of superiority. There are no genes that can identify distinct groups that accord with the conventional race categories. In fact, DNA analyses have proved that all humans have much more in common, genetically, than they have differences.* 

To maintain the scientific lie that race was in the DNA, the one drop rule was implemented.  If you were found to have a Black ancestor, no matter how far back, you were deemed Black.  Which explains why there is such a wide range of phenotypes that were identified as Black. So, when people say there is only one race, the human race, they may not be wrong. While race is a social construct and has no scientific basis, it would be naive to think that your race, and how it’s perceived by society, doesn’t have real world consequences.

As a born and bred New Yorker, my nationality is American. My nationality was designated from birth, jus soli, but you can become a naturalized citizen. You can become a citizen when your country's government grants you citizenship when specific legal requirements are met. My parents, both born in the Caribbean, are now citizens of the United States, so while the nationality has changed, their ethnicity has not. 

Your ethnicity is your shared cultural background, something you were either born or raised in. I was born in New York but share a culture with people born in the Caribbean.  We share food, music, clothing and even experiences.  When I see someone waving a Dominican** flag, I know that if I talk about Morne Trois Pitons or bakes there is no explanation needed. They understand. I have seen calls for changing carnival costumes and dances, but these are from people who are outside the culture, and don’t have the understanding.  It is important to understand the cultural meaning of an element before you deign to have an opinion on it, and how it needs to change to comport to your ideals.

So, to answer my question, what’s in a word, a lot. Words convey meaning, feelings, and intent, so it is important to understand the difference to ensure proper communication.  Will we sometimes mess up and use them as if they are interchangeable? I’m sure we will. But in the words of Maya Angelou. when we know better, we'll do better. 

* https://www.britannica.com/topic/race-human
** Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic