Let’s be honest. As a BIPOC educator, there are certain questions we hear that make us wonder if we’re being punked.
Questions like:
“Why do you get upset when someone touches your hair?”
“Why do you capitalize Black but not white?”
“Is Juneteenth a new holiday?”
Each of these could be solved with a quick online search. But instead, many of us are put on the spot to educate our peers without warning or compensation.
So Why Is This a Problem?
Because this is about emotional labor. It’s about assumptions. It’s about people outsourcing their learning to the only BIPOC person in the room.
Yes, Google is free. And we need folks to use it.
How to Respond
With grace: “I appreciate the curiosity! Here’s a resource you might find helpful.”
With boundaries: “I’m not comfortable being the only person educating about this.”
With humor: “I charge consulting rates now. Venmo me.”
Final Thoughts
Curiosity is powerful. But so is self-education. Let’s normalize doing our own research before putting that burden on someone else.
