Social Identity | Efe

Our discussion concerning social identities and privilege occurred at an interesting time due to the fact that I have been doing a lot of self reflection around this topic. 

An aspect of my identity that I have always been extremely aware of is my Nigerian heritage. I grew up as immersed in the culture as one could be living in the United States and because of that I have always largely defined myself as a Nigerian. Going to boarding school for high school and now as a Cornell student, I have grown more into this identity and what it means for myself away from the direct influence from my family. My blackness contributes to a privilege that I expect to experience when in Lusaka. Because I am not obviously a foreigner based on my skin color, I am less likely to be stopped and questioned when experiencing Lusaka. I think this will allow for me to see and experience Zambia differently compared to some of the other non-black members of this cohort. 

Another aspect of my identity that I have been trying to explore more is my quality of being able bodied. Growing up, I was never really aware of the fact that I can move, speak, and hear without difficulty or challenge. I know this is not a privilege that everyone is biologically afforded and because of that I have been trying to understand this privilege more through discussion. In being a member of the Cornell community, it is very obvious that our campus is not extremely accessible and therefore limits the types of people that can attend this institution comfortably. But what happens when your home is not accessible? Where do these people find themselves and how are they then able to tackle this obstacle that is so entrenched in their identity? I am interested in seeing what this may look like in the context of Lusaka. I know that as an abled bodied individual I will definitely have privileges when in Lusaka in terms of accessibility in the physical sense but also in the emotional sense. As someone who will be participating in research, I believe it will be easier for me to fulfill my duty than it would be for someone who was not able able bodied. 

Because of these aspects of my social identity, I believe I will be able to better adapt to life in Lusaka. Although it is not necessarily fair that this is the case, I am eager to be reflective in this reality and understand how I can bring those who are not as privileged into the discussion.