And still others condemned the hollowness of terms like people of color and BIPOC for falsely suggesting non-white solidarity where there is mostly just adjacency. Those reactions, contrary to what both centrist and right-wing commentators suggested, weren't about Black resentment over mere political divergence. They arose, instead, from the weariness of a collective historical memory that prompts Black folks to read between the lines of the newest chapters in a very old story.
As we approach the beginning of the new school year, first-year student orientations take place on college campuses to help students prepare academically, integrate into the institution's values and traditions, and build community. During orientation for first-year psychology doctoral students at my institution, I was immediately struck by the small number of Black students. Out of 34 first-year students, there appeared to be only one Black student, representing 2 percent of the cohort. The optics to me were quite alarming.