I Deserved to Be There: When Being the Only One Makes You Question Your Place
About this episode
Anthony Reeves shares his personal journey of navigating identity and belonging as a Black student at a predominantly white university.
What happens when you enter a space knowing that you earned the opportunity—but still feel that you must prove you deserve it? In this companion episode of IN THE KNOW with Tony Reeves, I share the personal story behind my micro-book, I Deserve to Be There. I grew up in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, surrounded by Black educators, professionals, church members and family friends who were committed to nurturing my success. Then I entered the University of Tampa, an overwhelmingly white institution where I suddenly found myself searching for people who understood my experience. My college journey included isolation, financial hardship, conflict with roommates, cultural misunderstandings and moments when I seriously questioned whether I belonged. It also included mentorship, Black student community, ROTC, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, leadership opportunities and recognition that showed me how deeply I had become part of the university community. This episode explores the pressure many Black Gen X students carried into newly accessible spaces: the belief that we had to work harder, perform better and continually demonstrate that we deserved opportunities we had already earned. Ultimately, I…
More episodes of In The Know with Tony Reeves
- The Truth About Being a Black Resident Assistant at a Predominantly White College
- The Haircut That Taught Me About Perception vs. Reality
- Was I Being Profiled? A Black Generation X College Experience
- My Roommates Threw My Clothes Into the Hallway: A College Lesson in Dignity
- HBCU Dreams, PWI Reality: How Black Gen X Built the Bridge
- The Logistics of the Long Road Trip: How Black Gen X Learned to Move Different
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