Tamera Shaw is a senior volleyball player double majoring in psychology and African & African American studies at University of Rochester. She was instrumental in the formation of the school’s chapter of BLAC (Black Letterwinning Student Athlete Coalition).
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.
Shifting of Goals Based on Race
“I attended private school from kindergarten through high school so interacting with people different than me has always been a big part of my life. In spite of that, I can subconsciously count the number of Black students in any given classroom within the first 30 seconds of stepping into it,” Shaw described. “I befriended them not only because they were good people, but because of the comfort that the friendship gave me. Being hyper aware of something like race definitely affects the way I think about life and about communities I am part of.”
Going to college was a culture shock for her in spite of having been in private school throughout her educational career. “Before deciding to go to Rochester and to play volleyball there, I knew I was going to a team with very little diversity. However, it was the first team I had ever been on in which I was the only Black player,” she remarked. “However, I was not unaware of the whiteness of the sport, especially at the Division III level. Before college, the teams I played on were one of the few teams with racial diversity.”
She was even more impacted as a student. “The transition from high school to college was very difficult for me. I went into my first year thinking I would major in biology with the goal of ending up in the research field. During my first semester, I often felt like I did not belong at the university or on my team despite my prior excellent academic history and my talent in the sport,” she admitted. “While I may have not noticed it at first, I eventually began to realize that a lot of my feelings had to do with being Black. I decided to change my majors to psychology and African & African American studies because I want to actively help make a difference in young people of color’s lives.”
Misconceptions and Stereotypes
“One of the misconceptions I am afraid others will have of me in my day-to-day life is that of the stereotypical ‘angry Black woman.’ I’m not sure if anyone has ever thought of me that way, but in the past, that fear sometimes resulted in me shrinking myself in certain situations,” she reported. “Another common misconception is that I am used to gun violence. When I tell people I’m from just outside Chicago, they ask me what side of the city I live on or if I actually live in ‘Chiraq.’”
From her teammates, she has most often faced questions about her hair. “I was asked if I always wear a weave even though I was clearly wearing my hair naturally at the time. When I asked my teammate about it, she responded that she thought all Black people always have weave in their hair,” Shaw recounted.
She notes that hair texture, along with tanning, has been the most common topic where misunderstandings arise in general. “Often, it’s not so much the things people are saying, but how they are saying it. In that regard there have been more microaggressions directed toward me than I can remember,” she stated. “While some are more stereotypical blanket statements, mostly there are questions like ‘It’s weird that you don’t wash your hair often. Why don’t you?’ or ‘I just tanned and I look darker than you, right?’ Another frequent assumption is that I only listen to rap music.”
The consistency of those questions and comments can take a toll. “I do believe that most of the questions stem from curiosity and ignorance as opposed to racism. However, each time that I get a question like that, it is extremely disheartening, shocking, and painful,” she revealed. “It is hard to have to deal with that every day and sometimes inescapably on weekends when the team travels together.”
Challenges as a Student-Athlete at a Predominantly White Institution
“One of the biggest challenges I face as a Black student-athlete at a majority white institution is representation. I am fortunate that my head coach (Ladi Iya) is a Black woman who makes my existence at Rochester infinitely better, but when I look around at other teams and other coaches, there are very few other Black females,” Shaw noted.
The demanding schedule of being both a student and an athlete plays a role in some of her feelings of isolation. “Another challenge is finding space that I feel comfortable in. Most of my time is spent in class, studying, playing/practicing, or working. I don’t have a lot of free time and what time I do have often does not align with underrepresented student group meetings,” she explained. “I can’t participate in those spaces as much as I want to, so not only do I sometimes feel alienated from my team, I also feel isolated from other students of color. It’s hard to find that balance between being heavily involved with my team and taking time to pursue strong relationships with other students outside of the team.”
Advice for Other Black Student-Athletes
“Firstly, I would say find someone on your team to talk to about race issues. Then also find someone off of your team. It is always nice to have those people to vent to, even if the person you are venting to may not fully understand what you are going through,” she recommended. “Correct people, question people, check people on their use of microaggressions, even ones that are not offensive to you specifically.”
At the same time, Shaw suggests not always taking the time to advocate or instruct. “It is okay to say that you don’t feel like explaining something. Please only give the energy that you have. Sometimes you don’t want to speak about race because all of your energy is being consumed by just existing in a place where you are underrepresented,” she articulated. “Find spaces where you feel comfortable being fully yourself. It can be really difficult to balance the sport you love with dealing with societal and personal racism, but it is not impossible. It is critical to create a space where you feel comfortable rather than a space where you feel like you have to conform or change any part of yourself to fit in.”
Role of Coaches and Teams
“From a leadership perspective, actively recruiting more student-athletes of color to play, allocating funding for visiting smaller tournaments where athletes of color are more likely to compete, and hiring more coaches and coaching staff members of color will make a difference,” she expressed. “Establishing mandatory diversity training for all sports and possibly setting up some type of mentorship program for student-athletes of color would also be positive actions.”
Beyond actively recruiting more student-athletes of color, coaches can play other key roles according to Shaw. “Facilitating some type of conversation about racial issues in the world within the team and supporting student-athletes of color are important things all coaches can do,” Shaw communicated. “That support can include continuing to advocate for them or creating a space that lends itself to conversations about racial issues and asking them if there are ways to help create that space.”
With respect to teammates, Shaw believes speaking up is paramount to making real change. “The biggest reinforcer of stereotypes and racism is white silence (i.e., when white teammates see or hear something that they know is racist or offensive, but don’t say anything). This happens far too often, especially in a society where there is fear of being judged,” she said. “Some teammates feel like it is not their place to speak up about racial issues, but it is extremely enabling to ‘let things slide.’ Speaking up and letting others know they have done or said something offensive leads to conversations that are necessary for growth.”
Teams can also promote racial equity as a unit. “Standing with movements and publicly stating your team’s stance on racial injustice (even when your team doesn’t have any people of color on it) can help deconstruct harmful stereotypes,” she stated. “Donating to organizations for underrepresented groups and celebrating differences while highlighting inequity are also great ways to be proactive as a team.”
What Allies Can Do
“I think the most important thing for allies is to educate themselves. Too often white people rely on people of color to educate them and explain things to them. There is value in that at times, but it can sometimes feel like an interview,” she explained. “If those same people took it upon themselves to research on Google or perhaps have open conversations about race, even with people of color, we would all be more comfortable engaging in dialogue.”
Of course, there are many situations where there will be no people of color. “Speak up! This is an opportunity for allies to start conversations with other people whose views might not align with theirs,” she remarked.