Ola Owodunni is a sophomore track and field student-athlete at Carnegie Mellon University. She is double majoring in biology and psychology. Owodunni competed in 55-, 60-, and 200-meter runs, and the shot put and weight throw in her first collegiate indoor season before the outdoor campaign was canceled due to COVID-19.
The UAA “Conversations About Race and Racism” series seeks to lift the voices of people of color and recognize the challenges faced in both athletics and academics at the collegiate level. By sharing personal stories, we hope to elevate the conversation about race to raise awareness and bring about change.
Differing Levels of Diversity Throughout Academic Career
“Until high school, I was used to being the only person of color in a class. Including me, there were six Black girls in my grade in middle school. The way I carried myself was shaped by my peers. I wasn’t used to being myself,” Owodunni described. “Then I went to one of the most diverse high schools in the Philadelphia public school system (Central High School), which prides itself on that diversity.”
While she didn’t have racial issues in high school, the effects of her earlier schooling stayed with her. “The real toll it took on me was in my personality. Who was I?” she wondered. “It wasn’t until I got to college that I was able to identify and search out the problem. My issue was with who I surrounded myself with and the feeling that I didn’t belong because I was one of few who looked like me.”
She notes Carnegie Mellon has a fair number of international students, but not African-Americans. “One house could fill all the Black students. I noticed that Black people I saw on campus on a daily basis would more or less put on a persona of what others perceive a Black person should look like or move like. Getting to know them, I discovered they are cool people, but the initial ‘hello’ felt odd,” she commented. “I was accustomed to not being with Black people, growing up in a white neighborhood, and then hanging out with a lot of white and Asian students in my school.”
Owodunni is part of a group chat of Black college students in Pittsburgh. “There aren’t that many people in it and some of them are from the University of Pittsburgh,” she stated. “When you see how few Black and Latinx students there are, you really look into the system that put them in poorer neighborhoods with fewer resources and opportunities.”
Assumptions and the Black Woman Stereotypes
“People seem shocked when I tell them I go to Carnegie Mellon,” she remarked. “I’ve had people say things like ‘Don’t make Ola mad!’ as if I am assertive, as if they are itching and waiting for me to say something that plays into the angry black woman stereotype. It is as if people are waiting for me to pop off. I am not even that tough.”
Owodunni finds others hesitant to talk to her about race. “When it comes to racial issues, I have sensed people are lowkey scared to talk to me about it or assume they already know what I am going to say. It’s frustrating when people say they don’t see color,” she expressed. “I’m not going to assume you are a racist just because you are white. I understand that race is a difficult topic, but I shouldn’t have to worry about coming off as angry just because I stand up for myself.”
Although she finds others expect her to be good at track, she actually played soccer more than any other sport and just started competing in track and field when she got to Carnegie Mellon. “People assume I run fast because I have longer legs, but that is not always the case. I even got in my own head sometimes, thinking to myself, ‘Why are you losing?’ she admitted. “The reality is some people are just faster and have been doing this a lot longer. The best part of joining a new sport for me was that I felt part of the CMU track team right away. I am used to being around a lot of different people.”
Another stereotype that Owodunni finds harmful is one that sounds positive, that all Black woman are “strong,” but in a racially-based assumption that means they are daunting and overly aggressive. “When we are all seen in this light, people are ready for us to be loud or rude,” she explained. “Don’t get me wrong, Black women are warriors, but even in saying that, we struggle sometimes. Being perceived as a ‘strong Black woman’ makes me carefully consider each word I say. The stereotype makes us seem unapproachable or intimidating. I am neither of those things. I smile and giggle all the time.”
Beauty Standards
“One of the most harmful things for Black women and men is European beauty standards. People would always say something negative whenever I wore my natural hair out. I was constantly using straighteners and relaxers. It has made me very insecure about my hair,” Owodunni explained. “One time I posted a picture of my hair shorter and several people told me they liked it better with weaves or braids. They were saying I didn’t look my best as my natural self. Black people use hair coverings to maintain our hair, yet that is seen as unprofessional. There is a culture behind our hair.”
Owodunni has heard several troublesome comments on a regular basis:
• I get compared to foods as in a “chocolate queen.”
• Guys saying, “I have never been with a Black girl.” Don’t announce you have never been with a Black girl as if she is a representative of the entire Black race.
• Being told I am pretty “for a Black girl.”
• People repeatedly asking to touch my hair.
• People say they don’t like an entire race. How can you say that? So much of it is because you haven’t met and spent time with people of that race.
• Colorism: People bleach their skin because they are told their skin is ugly or that is better to be light-skinned than dark-skinned. White girls tan to get darker, yet dark-skinned people are told to lighten their skin.
• People wear hairstyles to mimic Black people’s hair (such as dreadlocks), but it is not acceptable when we do it. Black children have gotten suspended from school for wearing their natural hair.
What she finds particularly hurtful is the lack of accountability from those making derogatory remarks. “If we do say something, we are perceived as being angry. When we try to educate others, that becomes something in itself,” she elucidated. “People don’t admit they have been disrespectful or that they are wrong. They are arguing a case they shouldn’t be, which shows their ignorance.”
Double Standards
“There was a TikTok video of a girl who stood for the national anthem while the rest of the team kneeled and she received a lot of support. Where was that same energy for someone expressing their values when Colin Kaepernick took a knee. It didn’t exist. People said he hated this country and was being disrespectful,” she conveyed. “The country’s pledge is about liberty and justice for all. Kaepernick didn’t dissent in a violent way, but he was widely criticized. Peaceful protests are collectively assumed to be violent. If we actually had liberty and justice for all, everyone would be standing for the national anthem.”
One pervasive issue that will keep Owodunni from even having a conversation is police violence. “If you are telling me that police brutality is not a thing and that white privilege does not exist, I can’t talk to you. It is not Black peoples’ responsibility to always educate others,” she made clear. “Even if we did instruct you, you wouldn’t listen. I don’t want to hear that something that affects Black people so much does not exist.”
Advice for Student-Athletes of Color
“Stay safe and be vigilant wherever you are. Walk with people and go directly to your destination. If someone comes, just keep going about your day. You never know what may happen so always be prepared to record interactions on your phone,” she recommended to her fellow student-athletes. “Try to get it out of your head that you aren’t meant to be somewhere or aren’t good enough for whatever place you are in. You can get your education and keep pushing yourself.”
She believes it is critical to find mentors. “It is important to get help regardless, but try to find people of color who can mentor you. They know where you are coming from. Some adults without the shared experience may not understand what they are saying may provide incorrect feedback or direction,” she stated. “It’s awkward for a student to correct adults, but there is power in telling them they just said something problematic. If you have the ability to speak up for yourself, you help not only yourself, but the next person so maybe they won’t have to experience the same thing.”
Role of Allies and Teammates
“When you hear something that is racist or inappropriate, correct the speaker. It is more comfortable for an ally to correct the person than it is for me. A lot of people don’t want to talk about race or start those conversations,” she commented. “You may not have to be on the front lines all the time, but you can tell your friend to stop saying inappropriate things or things that stem from racism and prejudice.”
Owodunni believes that allies supporting Black people should be more general and not always revolve around racial issues. “When you see a person of color struggling, ask them what they need. It is important not to always make it about race, but just about talking about what they are going through,” she pronounced. “You should see how I am doing because you are my friend. Treat me as you would anyone else you care about.”
Carnegie Mellon and the UAA emphasize sportsmanship, which Owodunni sees as a huge part of being a teammate. “If someone has demonstrated that they are racist, they should not be on the team. If you can’t respect someone for who they are and compete with them, you don’t understand sportsmanship and are not a good teammate,” she vocalized. “Teammates should not group themselves by race. It can’t be like that on a team. There is no division on the CMU team. I don’t feel like because I am Black, I must talk to one of the Black dudes and that is how it should be for everyone.”
She believes coaches would benefit greatly from instruction about discrimination, perhaps a seminar on how to talk with student-athletes of color. “I also think coaches can find out a lot by having one-on-one conversations with their student-athletes, of course all voluntary, to ask them what they need or want from the team for it to be a safe place.” she suggested. “As members of the team, we can also have the discussion with new student-athletes about who we are as a team. This way, it is not personal, it is about the team. This goes beyond race. We need to make it comfortable to talk about any issues. Much of the focus has been on the Black community, but we can link a lot of groups together, including LGBTQ, Latinx, and Asian communities. It will feel less forced if we address multiple issues.”