Guleed Allen explains the differences between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.
Oakland is a city rich in culture, history and activism. From the Black Panther party to beautiful murals in the Fruitvale District, many cultures are represented. But in a diverse place like this, it’s important to know the difference between culture appropriation and culture appreciation.
Culture appreciation is when someone engages with another culture respectfully, like learning its history, acknowledging its importance, and giving credit where it’s due. On the other hand, culture appropriation happens when someone takes things from a culture, especially from a marginalized group and without understanding or respecting its origins, more or less for personal gain.
This conversation becomes even more urgent when looking at debates like one I recently encountered at school: Should people be able to say the n-word when it is part of a song? This question made me reflect on how people often embrace the aesthetics of Black culture while disregarding the lived experiences and struggles of Black people.
Historically, the n-word has been used as a tool of dehumanization and oppression. Some members of the Black community have reclaimed the term as a form of empowerment, but at the end of the day it is still a painful reminder of systemic racism. When non-Black people casually use the word under the disguise of it being “just a lyric,” it disregards this painful legacy. It reinforces the idea that people love everything about a culture except the people themselves.