There is fiction is the space between...

What is race? Here's how Jonathan Odell answers that question.

Race is not merely an historical designation, an intellectual construct or an academic concept. Even though it is not a scientifically valid notion, race is nevertheless a real force, alive and potent. Race lives not in whiteness or in blackness, but in the space between black and white—in the relationship between the two. Neither exists without the other.

Together, blacks and whites perpetuate race by their participation, sometimes explicitly, but more often with complicity. This keeps race alive and charged. What keeps it toxic is the fact that this participation is rarely discussed across the white/black divide and remains the unmentioned elephant in the room. Secrets create distrust, suspicion and distance.

"There is fiction in the space between...you and me."


(Tracy Chapman made a wonderful video to go with this song. But unfortunately, embedding is not allowed. You can watch it here.)