I wrote this column with the intention of uplifting all of my Black/Brown siblings on campus. While all the people I’ll feature are Black, the different ways they experience and engage with Blackness vary from person to person. This, to me, is a beautiful thing. When you look at us, you see Black hues, shades of Brown. But underneath the pigment are various different stories and experiences that make us more dynamic. But no matter how dynamic they get, we’re all Black.
Audre Lorde said this perfectly in her Keynote Speech at the National Third World Gay and Lesbian Conference (October 13, 1979):
“not one of us is free until we are all free; and that any move for our dignity and freedom is a move also for our communities’ sisters and brothers, whether or not they have the vision to see it. And between ourselves, difference must not be used to separate us, but to generate energy for social change at the same time as we preserve our individuality.”
While it’s not secret that the Black population is small here, and even smaller for, say, queer people of color such as myself, we should all be united. We should be able to celebrate our unity and also our differences, because that to me is a powerful Black effect.
I was graciously able to have a conversation with Ang Contreras (they/them), a junior Mechanical Engineering major, about this. Contreras is a student intern for Diversity Education, Co-President for Out in STEM (oSTEM), and has affiliations with the various identity-based organizations on campus. Contreras identifies as non-binary and is of Dominican descent.
Nasir Anthony Montalvo: What are you most passionate about in your identity?
Ang Contreras: From an early age, I was taught to be very proud of my heritage, my culture. I come from a very nationalistic household, so it was very Dominican. We love plátanos and dance Bachata — that’s just who we are.
NAM: [laughs]
AC: When I got a little bit older, I started realizing things about my sexuality and gender. And I also grew very comfortable in that community as well. I have pride in both.
NAM: How do your identities exist within, and without of, you?
AC: I would say that internally, they coexist well together. I am very open and very proud of being a queer person of color. The difficulties always arise when you’re in different spaces.
The best way I can explain this is through an example. If I am in a queer space with little to no people of color, I can start to feel ostracized or find it pretty distracting. Same would go for vice versa.
NAM: You’re talking about spaces now — how important do you think spaces are to your identity? What spaces are most empowering for you? What spaces do you tend to avoid?
AC: So I would say the spaces I find most comfortable are ones unrelated to one identity or the other. Kind of like finding a middle ground. Sports, for example. There was never a focus on my sexuality or race there, which was important to me when you’re going through all… that. [laughs]
For spaces that are not as comfortable, I would definitely say during class or during more professional settings where I can be judged based on my actions.
NAM: How prevalent is the issue of “existence” here at Stevens in living with large, intersecting identities?
AC: From my experience at Stevens, it’s difficult because there are many identities here, but they are all compartmentalized. So it feels as though I have to separate into different clubs or friend groups. It was hard to find somewhere I could be more than one thing, and this also has to do with transitioning to college and finding spaces. But there could definitely be more help from the school to help students like me who exist in different areas.
NAM: What does some of that look like?
AC: Most of the good things I have been seeing have come from student clubs, so I would like to see more of a push from the offices or even professors rather than mainly the students. Diversity Education, which I have to plug, has been doing a lot in facilitating this transition and having open discussions where they hear what the students want. In terms of a physical space—
NAM: Oh, here we go.
AC: [laughs] It’s definitely been hard to find a physical space that I can be my natural self in. First of all, I’m a commuter. Second of all, I have to deal with the identities I mentioned before. Comparing our school to other schools that have Intercultural Spaces or some type of lounge that is specifically for underrepresented students, it was definitely disappointing to see we don’t have that. So we need one, is the point.
NAM: Do you have any advice for students, such as ourselves, who are trying to go about their lives here?
AC: The way I like to think about it is that my position at the school is kind of unique, so it’s an opportunity for me to educate and put a positive foot forward instead of having a negative mentality.
But also, being part of the intersection is hard, so don’t feel it’s your responsibility to educate either. It’s totally okay to take a step back and reflect, and vow to not go back for your own safety. Something my dad once told me is that I don’t owe anyone an explanation for how I identify, it’s completely up to me. The fact that I think it’s true is what matters.
NAM: And honestly, if you don’t wanna explain, these people can use Google.
AC: Exactly! This is the reason why people should go to things like the trainings offered here, because if you’re so curious about why I do things a certain way, go out and do the work yourself. Don’t antagonize one person and ask them all these questions for the whole community when you can go somewhere for free, on your own time. It’s just general respect.
NAM: Once you layer on these identities, it starts to feel like you’re on the fringes of society, so I want to close by asking you what it means to find acceptance?
AC: Unfortunately that falls on the people you’re around, the people who are inclusive towards you. All these movements: Black Lives Matter, PRIDE, Women’s Rights; there are people who can identify as all three. So it’s important to be inclusive all the time. Ask people their pronouns if you’re in a black space, even if you think no one is queer. You never know how included that person may feel now. All in all, practice things to make those around you feel safe.
This interview has been edited and condensed. Keep in mind that these viewpoints/experiences are mine and the interviewee’s and are not necessarily representative of those of the Black or Brown persons at Stevens and beyond.
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