This presentation focuses on the experiences of African Americans and the unique difficulties that African Americans face. The author provides statistics to support her positions as well as at depth analysis.

1. Being
African
American
Is freak’in hard
By Latagia Copeland-Tyronce B.S.,A.S.

2. “To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in
a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.”
~W. E. B. Du Bois~

3. Why is it so hard?

4. For several reasons
including but not
limited to the
following….

5. History

6. • Some 400 years of slavery.
• Another 90 years of Jim Crow Laws
• Civil rights struggles.
• Pervasive inequality, racism, and
discrimination.

7. [I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but people will
never forget how you made them feel.]
~Maya Angelou~

8. Perceptions
(stereotypes) by
non-minorities

9. • African American people are poor
because their lazy.
• lack intelligence and drive.
• Are dangerous and/or criminals
(especially males).
• Are welfare queens.
• Cant let go of the past (slavery and Civil
rights).

10. “ We don’t see things as they are, we see them as
we are”
~Anais Nin~

11. Inequality

12. • Median African American household net
worth in 2013 was $11,ooo compared to
$141,900 in Caucasian households.
• African Americans are nearly 3 times as likely
to be poor as non-Africans Americans.
• Jobless rate for African American college
grads last year was 12.4% versus 4.9% for
Caucasian college grads.

13. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in
a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin, but by the content of their character.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr~

14. Systemic racism
and discrimination

15. • African Americans comprise about 13% of the US
population and 14% of monthly drug users but are 37%
of the people arrested for drug offenses.
• Nationwide, African-Americans represent 26% of
juvenile arrests, 44% of youth who are detained, 46% of
the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court,
and 58% of the youth admitted to state prisons (Center
on Juvenile and Criminal Justice).
• African-Americans make up 28% of the foster care
population. This disparity is magnified in certain states.

16. • Of the 2,000,000 men in prison 39.1% are African American.
• African American students are 3.5x more likely to be
expelled than Caucasian students (40% are actually
expelled).
• When doctors were shown patient histories and asked to
make judgments about heart disease, they were much less
likely to recommend cardiac catheterization to African
American patients (even when their medical files were
statistically identical to those of Caucasian patients).
• Caucasian state legislators were found to be less likely to
respond to constituents with African-American names. This
was true of legislators in both political parties.

17. “ Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you
want to test a man’s character give him power”
~Abraham Lincoln~

18. • African Americans are much more likely to
run into a wide range of issues throughout
our society.
• Once these issues arise (and they will),
African Americans are much more likely to be
treated harshly/unfairly and to have worse
outcomes than non-minorities.

19. Do you know what it's like to be …
... followed in a store.
… "mistaken" for the help.
... petted like a dog because your hair is "interesting."
… told to "get over" the wholesale trade and trafficking of your ancestors?
I do.
And so do millions of other black Americans. Rich and poor. Uneducated and
those with a Ph.D. Famous and anonymous.
We are exhausted. We are tired. We can't breathe.
~ Arienne Thompson, USA TODAY~

20. As a proud African American woman who has experienced
everything discussed this presentation (or personally know
others whom have experienced it) I hope that it is enlightening.
I am thoroughly convinced that the contents within come as no
surprise to my fellow African Americans; but I have no doubt
that it may come as a surprise to others. But we all must
remember the following

21. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/12/racial-wealth-gaps-
great-recession/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/25/business/for-recent-black-college-
graduates-a-tougher-road-to-employment.html?_r=0
http://www.psmag.com/business-economics/the-rigged-economics-of-
race-in-america
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-racism-still-
flourishes/2015/06/26/d0e1f2e4-1b6e-11e5-ab92-
c75ae6ab94b5_story.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/fourteen-examples-of-
raci_b_658947.html
http://www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
http://www.bet.com/news/national/2013/05/31/commentary-we-must-
care-for-black-foster-youth.html
http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2014/07/19-things-black-people-need-
know-racism-today/
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/04/upshot/the-measuring-sticks-of-
racial-bias-.html?abt=0002&abg=1
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/american-racism-against-
blacks/