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A Necessary Forum? Memphis Locals Gather to Discuss the Use of the N-Word

A conference was held in Whitehaven, a neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee about bringing awareness to the racially insensitive word “Nigga”. A summit was held to create discussion around the expression.

“We give words their definition and so therefore you’re going to call me that. If you call me a cow am I going to get offended? No, because I am not a cow,” Ekundayo Bandele, one of the panelists told Fox 13 News.

Members of the forum and panel shared their experiences with the term and many people said they are against its usage because of negative connotation behind it.

Reverend Earl Fisher said the terminology behind the word has taken on a new meaning since the European origin.

“I think sometimes we do end up pontificating over abstract and not affirming people’s concrete lived experiences trying to figure out how to utilize experiences to speak about who we are… They do have to capacity and ability to define words for themselves even if I would disagree with the definition,” Fisher told the news source.

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