Saturday my son performed at the White Privilege Conference in St. Louis. Their website is http://www.whiteprivilegeconference.com/. I didn't get a chance to attend the conference but browsed the information booths and chatted up some of the attendees and vendors. Since I LOVE to people watch - the conference provided me a golden opportunity to check out body types, interpersonal dynamics, touch styles - all the stuff that semi-voyeurs like myself peep when people watching.
Of course - going in to the conference I sterotyped folk based on my own stuff - vegan eating, patchouli smelling, prius driving, real liberal, progressive, pro-choice, pro-gay, pro everything people.
Scoping out the black women - my permed head, gold hoops, coach bag and really non-revolutionary outfit of stretchie jeans, a green hoodie and the savior to walking moms everywhere - blue crocs slides - was a rare look amidst the dreads, afros and no makeup wearing other chicks.
I've been to other book signings, conferences, art shows, protests, etc. where sisters are clad in lovely hemp skirts with natural cotton t-shirts, birkenstocks and always the most exquisite natural hair. Me in sweats, digging in a ridiculously expensive bag to pull out MAC lipglass sometimes gets me some serious stares. But heck - I mean I'm a revolutionary (sorta), too. I might roll up to the joint in an SUV instead of a Prius, but I'm there. I might have to dig out my pen from a Coach bag - but I write the checks. Healthy communities for our kids, sane economic policy, racial and gender justice that's all just as important to me as the LV Speedy Bag I'm pining for.
