Too many Habeshas in the Western world seem to be so focused on their own journey that they do not ever look backwards to see who they have left behind.

by Meeraf Taddesse.  Posted:  Thursday, July 15, 2010


As a Habesha growing up in America, I always longed to see people that looked like me on television, in magazines, in sports and entertainment. Everywhere I looked, there were no images that reflected who I was; rather I saw images of other races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds reflected within the society around me. It was disheartening to never see the faces that resembled my features or my culture or that of my family. I wanted to see people that knew what it was like to grow up like me in the Western World. Unfortunately, due to the dearth of images that reflected my culture and identity, I came to believe false ideas. One such false idea that I hung on to was that Habeshas are incapable of succeeding in any other sport than long distance track events or marathons and that Habeshas can only succeed in academia and its related fields.

Obviously, I know now that it is not all together true and not to believe in these misconceptions. However, at the time, I was young and naïve. Despite the ignorance in such notions, I can almost guarantee that there are other young Habeshas who believe the very same things I used to believe. How do we overcome such negative perceptions by others as well as those which we ourselves perpetuate? There are a few ways, but the first may be finding a way to change our parents’ ideas of success. The truth is that majorities of Ethiopian and Eritrean parents have directed and still tend to direct their children to become doctors, engineers, and other  worthy professions while looking down on the idea of becoming professional basketball players, singers, actors, and actresses. Professions such as doctor, engineers, lawyers and the like are of course noble and any parent should be proud if their children strive and achieve these professions.  However, there is a tendency to dismiss the pursuits of other dreams, dreams which are attained at the end of a walkway or the front of a microphone.  This is mostly due to the fact that they fought so hard to make it to this country and other countries like this. They simply do not want to take a chance on pursuits that cannot guarantee a way to make a good living and they want so very much for us to succeed without having to struggle as they did.

Another vital way we can overcome the lack of representation of Habeshas in the world of mass media is for those that have succeeded in this “road less traveled” to give back to their communities by mentoring and encouraging others—especially the young—to follow their dreams. I have often wondered how many Ethiopians and Eritreans who have succeeded in these alternative careers take time out of their day to speak to us and give us some insight as to how we, too, can make it. For instance, the other day I happened to watch an episode of Bethenny Getting Married, and I saw Amsale—a well-known dress designer—fitting Bethenny Frankel’s wedding dress. I have also seen Amsale featured on Project Runway in the past. Yet, how many famous fashion designers do you happen to know that are Habesha? I can bet that you can count them on one hand, or rather one finger. When it comes to the Western world of fashion, Amsale is the one! But, I have yet to see or hear of her addressing a group of Habesha children who have an interest in fashion design and who could follow in her footsteps.

African Americans have many scholarship organizations and mentoring organizations available to give back to their communities. Yet, how many Ethiopian or Eritrean organizations have you heard of setting up scholarships for our youth? How many Habesha celebrities, of the few that exist, have you heard of reaching backward to help the rest of us gain the footing that we need to climb the rest of that treacherous mountain, which would lead us to the type of achievement that few of us have come to witness in alternate fields? I cannot think of any. In fact, the few times that I hear of organizations set up to help those of us that may need help here or back home, those particular organizations were established by other Habeshas that have little change in their pockets but hearts filled with enough sensitivity to not leave the rest of us behind. One of those people is Hirut Gedlu (if you do not know of her, I recommend you read the article located at this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2631733.stm).

Too many Habeshas in the Western world seem to be so focused on their own journey that they do not ever look backwards to see who they have left behind. This is not the case with everyone but it is the case with a great number of us. I believe that it is our responsibility to correct this. No matter how famous any one of us has become or will become, remember that it is lonely at the top. For there are not many that will look like you, speak like you, or be able to relate with you, once you reach that peak. I hope that in those lonely moments, the famous ones will think back, recall that we are a part of them, remember to grab hold of us, remember where they came from, and along the way; help out a child or two to make it to the top. It is lonely at the top, only if you forget your people and your community that helped to get you there.