Submitted by Austin Gray on the 2020 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography…
Today was our third full day in Dominica. We took an excursion to the stunning Scott’s Head Beach, which overlooks the Soufriere Bay and the Caribbean Sea. Throughout the excursions that we’ve taken over the past few days, we’ve come into contact with many people of African descent, as to be expected.
In the past year, I’ve been in quite a few situations that have put me out of my comfort zone, specifically as it relates to my racial background. Being the minority ethnicity in a country is quite a different feeling from being the majority, and I can only begin to imagine how minorities in the United States feel all of the time. Through this, I’ve come to recognize the unconscious bias that still exists in my brain as a white male. Although I’ve actively worked to overcome these biases and remove the negative stereotypes from my thoughts, it’s obvious that they still exist. I can see this in my unintentional hesitation to make conversation or even simply acknowledge some of the locals who have the best intentions, but have unfortunately picked up this disgusting reputation that has been engraved into my brain, having been raised in a privileged, white household. Hopefully, through this program, I will be able to fully immerse myself in the culture and let go of the stereotypes that are in my mind, while enjoying the stunning views and learning about the physical aspects of the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.