Hey I Like your Afro

President-elect Barack Obama has shattered more than just history records and stereotypes when he won the Presidency. According to New York Magazine writer John McWhorter, Obama’s victory has made it cool again for African Americans to be “nerds.”

When speaking on the sterotype that being smart means “acting white”, African Americans have a new secret weapon to fight back with.

“As of last Tuesday, however, there’s a new weapon, and it’s Barack Obama himself. Whenever a black nerd gets teased for thinking he’s white, all he has to say is four words: “Is Barack Obama white?”

Although no one could directly prove the social dynamics the article is highlighting, the piece insists that black students often get scorned by their peers as “acting white” if they make good grades. Roland Fyer, an economist at Harvard and the youngest African American to ever receive tenure at the prestigious University, has researched this theory. According to his research, black students who have higher grades in school have fewer social connections compared to white students.

The oversimplified piece barely touches on a societal racial issue that some could argue, has held back minorities from achieving their academic climax for years. But as some of the respondents to the article have pointed out, nerds have always been stereotypically at the bottom of the social totem pole, no matter the color of said nerd’s skin. Does having an African American president send a message to African Americans everywhere that it’s ok to be smart again? Would a Hispanic American send the same message to Hispanics? What about a woman President?

Social dynamics aside, I would like to propose another angle to the nerd movement. It’s pretty apparent to anyone who is connected with the hipster city style that the “nerd” look has gained popularity long before the President-elect won office.

Lifestyle branding chains such as Urban Outfitters and American Apparel have included the stereotypical nerd look (you know those large thick-black-frame glasses with the tight jeans, white t-shirt, cardigan, and or bow-tie or drop-tie) into ad campaigns.

Blogs everywhere from Black Voices to fashion blog The Fashion Bomb have been picking up on the trend. Some have even turned the nerd movement into a brand such as London based branding company We’re Black Nerds Network which has its own blog and t-shirts.

Even celebrities like Kanye West, Common and Jay-Z (some of the biggest nerds I know) have joined the “dress like a nerd” bandwagon. Because let’s face it, it’s different and unexpected for the cool kids in hip hop to challenge the tough-faced rappers on their swagger.

Want to join the Nerd-chic fashion movement. Learn how at WikiHow!

One of the funnest times I’ve ever had in a cab. Marcus and I were on our way to a press event for our internship when we got into a conversation with the cabbie about the impending election. He went on to enlighten us as to why he believes Obama is the right man for the job and the hope he has in the incoming President-elect.

Since the Presidency is pretty much in the bag, the only thing left to do is celebrate! What better way than with iTune’s very own Election Night Victory Mix. Personal favorite: Brother’s gonna Work it Out by Nas. Couldn’t be more appropriate.

Track listings:

It’s loud and busy. People are so excited to see Barack Obama come into office. “Change is gonna come”, “Barack the vote” the T-shirts say it all.

Busboys and Poets, a cool cafe lounge is where I’m watching the elections tonight along with several hundred excited voters. The place couldn’t be more packed and there is a line up to get in that stretches outside and around block. Even though it’s raining, people are willing to stand in line and wait for up to four hours to watch history take place in one of the most historical venues in the city. Busboys is located in historic U Street Corridor, the infamous site that was home of the well known race riots of the 1960’s. In fact, one of the most famous riots took place on the same exact corner where Bus Boys is located at. It’s pretty incredible to be here some forty years later, sitting with such a diverse crowd, all anxious and excited to see Obama get elected into the White House, the first African American President in American history.

In other news, they’re played a remix of Waiting on the World to Change, by John Mayer. They turned up the rap part. It’s awesome.

I’m trying to order an apple and Gorgonzola sandwich but it’s too busy for the servers to notice that we haven’t ordered. I kind of like it that way. Tonight’s too important to care that it took 45 minutes for a table, or that it will take more than an hour for food.

Everyone is introducing themselves to each other. This is what it must feel like when there is political unity, a feeling I haven’t understood since I arrived to the States two years ago. I wish I could talk to everyone in the room and ask them why they believe that Obama will change this Nation. I wish I could ask them what exactly they’re hopeful for in the next President.