The years have brought many changes in the demographic makeup of the people around me. Moving from a small Caribbean island of a population of mostly African descendants with a splash of Asian and Indian populations to a more diverse mix of Caucasians, African Americans and other minority groups is a bit whiplash-inducing. 

Throughout my three years of living in the United States, I have observed these groups around me along with their interactions, and while it may not be my place to say, it’s quite interesting how the differences and similarities stack up in my eyes.

In the Caribbean, people coming to your country is a mainstay. Most countries, including my home country of Jamaica, run off of its tourism industry and this means adopting a sort of second persona, the always helpful jovial outer layer of the ‘native.’ Offering to help lost tourists, being overly polite, acting in this weird facsimile ‘proper way’ that hides the genuine feelings of the person. It’s quite hilarious to me now, whenever I look back at how I too tried modeling myself to create this second layer. 

In the states, it’s a different experience, and while different ethnic groups seem to have their own second skin they show to others, it’s not as thick. The act is less practiced, more of an afterthought when interacting with each other. Maybe it’s due to the familiarity they all have with each other; quite frankly I’m glad people can get along without the need for hiding less-liked attributes of themselves and their respective ethnic groups. 

But then sometimes I get an uncomfortable little niggle in the back of my mind, the ever traitorous voice that whispers ‘It’s not all good, is it?,’ and I soon spiral into negative thoughts.

Thoughts such as the obvious mistreatment of said integrated minority groups. I am not suggesting actions have not been taken to lessen the discrimination of African, Asian, Indian, Latina, and other such groups in the United States, but I am saying the fact that even I can recognize the masks my peers wear around their other peers to appear more accommodating around less exposed (cultured) students, is in of itself a problem. 

Why is it that when students such as myself leave our own countries and land in this lovely little country we must feel the need to adopt this second persona? Simply, it is to assimilate ourselves into a society that would not accept us as we are. And isn’t that just a disappointing reality? 

But I believe society is advancing; I am by no means trapping everyone in judgment. The new generation is now aware more than ever of these societal blights and how we view each other and ourselves. The masks still are necessary now, but I can see a future ahead of me where hiding some of our traits won’t even be thought of anymore.