If we don’t get into college, certain white people might say, it is because we failed to apply the same work ethic as our white colleagues by way of our laziness. This, in turn, implies a system of meritocracy. If we do get into college, those same white people suddenly deny their previous assertions of meritocracy and tell us that we were only admitted by virtue of our race. It is a handout, a pity acceptance. This always makes me laugh because Blackness has never resulted in an increase of socioeconomic capital for any Black person ever. Y’all got your 40 acres and a mule? Reparations are a long time coming.
