Week 1: Finding the Line: Language, Identity, and Appropriation

Jeffrey G -

Welcome to my blog’s first week, and thanks for following along! This week was a solid start to my senior project. 

My on-site mentor suggested that I research Ebonics (African American Vernacular English or AAVE), and I completely understand why. AAVE has been borrowed and misrepresented so much in the media. People use it without knowing where it comes from or what it means. I think researching this will give me a better understanding of how cultural appropriation affects identity, especially when it comes to how Black language is both celebrated and criticized depending on who’s using it. 

I also plan to start White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation by Lauren Michele Jackson this week. It breaks down how Black culture gets taken, repackaged, and profited from, which will give me some really valuable insight. 

Another big part of my week was attending meetings in preparation for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Since my project site is the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, it was interesting to see how cultural preservation and representation work in real-time. It’s crazy how much thought goes into making sure cultures are represented accurately and respectfully, something that obviously doesn’t always happen in mainstream media. 

I’ve also started putting together my list of people to interview, including Black artists and community members/leaders. Getting real perspectives from people who’ve actually experienced appropriation is going to be key for this project. 

Overall, I feel like I’m off to a strong start. I’m really excited to see where this goes. Tune in next week to see what I learn! 

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Comments:

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    aerion_e
    Very cool Jeffrey! Working at the Smithsonian sounds like such a thrill, I would love to hear more about your other experiences interning there so far. Cannot wait for the next post!
    March 20, 2025 at 6:29 pm - Reply
    james_h
    I completely agree with your mentor that you should look into Ebonics. Especially with the rise of social media, and the influence it has on the way Gen Z speaks. There's a lot to go into on that. I am excited to see who you interview and learn from their perspectives! Next week make sure you tell us more about your internship! I can't wait to read it.
    March 21, 2025 at 2:15 pm - Reply
      jeffrey_g
      Yes! I was just talking about this with a friend. It’s so true that a lot of “Gen Z” culture is rooted in Black culture, especially when it comes to language and even fashion. A lot of the "slang" people use without thinking comes directly from AAVE, and it’s frustrating when it gets used without recognition or even twisted into something else. I’m really excited to dive deeper into this through my research and interviews. I’ll definitely share more details about my internship next week, including who I’m planning to interview and why. Stay tuned. 🙃
      March 23, 2025 at 4:54 pm - Reply
    xander_s
    I think it would be really interesting if you used Basis as a case study to explore how African American cultural elements have permeated everyday interactions. For example, you could conduct an observational study during a middle school lunch period and document the frequency/context of linguistic features rooted in AAVE. In general, I think a quantifiable perspective on the integration of Black cultural expressions into society would greatly benefit your overall research and message. Good luck!
    March 23, 2025 at 10:21 pm - Reply
    Anonymous
    Everything that you did this week sounds amazing. Your research and the opportunity with the Smithsonian is really cool. I can't wait to see how it progresses.
    March 24, 2025 at 3:10 pm - Reply
    Ms Browne
    You’re off to a strong and meaningful start! As you continue reading White Negroes, it might be helpful to think about how visibility and invisibility operate at the same time in cultural appropriation—how Black culture can be hyper-visible in fashion, music, and media, while Black people themselves are often marginalized or excluded from the benefits of that visibility.
    March 24, 2025 at 3:33 pm - Reply

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