Control


Dear Claudia Rankine,

Thank you for Citizen. Before even opening the book, the cover struck me as I examined the torn, limbless black hoodie, now a symbol for racial profiling and police brutality. I was reminded of Ta-Nehesi Coates who writes about the lack of control black people have other their bodies, their lives, that can be taken from them at any moment because of microagressions and racism- all down to a hoodie. A black hoodie stands in for a black man, its presence seems to alert and warn the white viewer to stand armed. Upon reading the book, I fell in love with the way you structure prose poetry- it flows through memories and emotions which are not organized neatly and clearly. You place the reader as the "you" as they explore everyday racism (also known as microaggressions) and its detrimental impact on the person; we are forced into the crippling, disorienting minds of an annoymous person. You powerfully portray how racism deteriorates the psyche of a black person, picking away at their control, compliance and consciousness. Your example of Serena Williams perfectly embodies this idea. Serena Williams has reached an amazing level of status as one of the best athletes in the world while battling on the publicized court of stereotyping, body-shaming sustained by the "angry-black woman" image. Serena is watched daily, every shout and tear analyzed by a white audience who refuse to believe Serena deserves her position anyway. Her strong, built body and strength imitates people- white men especially, and you shone a light on how her human faults cost her everyday. Her reactions and emotions have to be under control, her composition physically and mentally is always pulled apart. That's what it means to be a black woman. You always have an audience, a duty to stay composed, yet not be too blunt and intimidating, yet be strong but not too masculine yet have the cability to care for everyone else yet look after your ownself yet look over your family because you have great resposibilities to the whole world.

So,  I say again thank you for this book,

Kaela Hines

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