Black women discuss self-esteem, identity at Black History Month event

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been changed to correct the date of the Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and the Rev. Marcia Dyson speaking event.

Self-esteem and the challenges of being a black woman were discussed Wednesday night at Southeast Missouri State University.

India Jeffrey, retention specialist for Student Support Services at Southeast, organized the discussion "Where the Girls Are: Education, Etiquette and Esteem" for Black History Month activities.

"I'm really big in making people feel beautiful," said Jeffrey, who works with the Southeast campus group Phenomenal Women.

"We notice that a lot of young women have problems in finding their identity," she said.

Jeffrey showed the movie "Black Rainbows," a documentary about the pressures of being black in America, to the audience Wednesday.

Jeffrey said the movie "opens up the room. They can ask questions and feel free to talk."

Jeffrey said for women to get good self-esteem, it is important she set goals and try to reach every little goal, step by step. A woman should praise herself when she is successful. It is also important for women to evaluate situations and readjust if necessary, because sometimes things go differently than expected.

Anna Burton, a graduate student at Southeast, said women cannot help seeing commercials that remind them to look a certain way and make it hard to feel beautiful.

"I was really chunky, and boys didn't like me," Burton said. "But then I started playing softball in high school and lost all my weight. I got more compliments

and acknowledgment."

She said she got a lot more confident in high school. Today she surrounds herself with people who give her comfort and support.

Tara Beverly, hall director at Dearmont, said she has always been thin, but hated her nose, hair and skin color when she was younger.

"Three years ago I decided I want to be me," she said. "Every day I tell myself, 'Tara, I'm beautiful.'"

Beverly said she wanted to get rid of everything that is fake and came to a total acceptance of herself.

Not only young black women were interested in talking about self-esteem issues.

Robert White III, a substitute teacher at Cape Girardeau elementary and junior high schools, said he wants to learn how to help young black women with their self-esteem and to show his support for Southeast programs like this.

"We have a mixed demography [in our classes], but it's more African-American. A lot of them are in their puberty," he said. "I want to learn what I can do as a male to help young women."

Southeast Missouri State University's Black History Month activities so far this year have included events such as the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read-A-Thon and several discussions about CNN's documentary "Black in America" and the HBO documentary "The Black List."

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and the Rev. Marcia Dyson will speak at 7 p.m. March 3 at the Show Me Center. Michael Dyson was the keynote speaker for Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Dinner. He is a professor of sociology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., as well as an author and radio host.

Myths, facts, stereotypes and reality in the black community will be discussed at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in the University Center Program Lounge at 6:30 p.m.

St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau will hold an African-American Heritage Gospel Extravaganza at 6 p.m. Feb. 28.