Student Overcomes Taunting

By: Synithia Turner
The Rams Horn
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Folasade Ajayi, sophomore, has suffered personally from discrimination here at RHS because of her ethnicity and physical appearance. Being of Nigerian descent, people have constantly mocked, jeered and criticized Ajayi.

"Growing up it was hard for me to stop discrimination towards me because I didn’t know what to say back to them. It’s not even that I look "Nigerian." … [After] people hear my name, [then] the taunting starts," she says.

Ajayi was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but her parents are natives of Nigeria. She is just 15 years old and enjoys learning ballet, working on the computer, eating and watching television just like any other teenager today. Also like many teenagers today, she has been constantly ridiculed for being different.

"I really stopped caring what people think. I love who I am and where I come from," says Ajayi "If people feel the need to snicker and laugh, it just shows their immaturity."

Ajayi says she tried not to say anything back to the smart remarks. "I didn’t want to stoop down to their level by responding," she said "I think the best thing to do when in that situation is to just ignore them as much as possible."

Ironically Ajayi says that the people taunting her were often African-Americans. She called it hypocritical that they would criticize those who are like themselves.

Ethnicity isn’t the only reason why people are ridiculed. Nowadays, anybody can be put down for any and every little thing. Some of the most common reasons are race, gender, sexuality, religion, beliefs, language, height, weight and the list could go on.

"Over the years, I’ve learned to just try to shake off the mean things that were said to me and about me," said Ajayi "I always try to maintain a positive attitude and to always have a smile on my face."