What's in a Name

Ms. May: I love starting class with mindful meditation. It just gives me a fresh start.

Big Rube: Don’t take this the wrong way, but you are too happy this early in the morning.

Ms. May: I respect your perspective, but I’ve found out from waking up several times over these, let’s say number of years, that finding gratitude in the morning is better for me than dwelling on my tiredness.

Neicey: Yeah Rube, don’t rain on her sunshine.

Big Rube: How did Neicey end up in my class this year?

Ms. May: All of you were chosen to be in the best class because you are the best students. Now, shall we begin. Malcolm X changed his name from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X, and later to El Hajj Malik Shabazz. Why do you think he did that?

Malcolm: He did that because he changed as he got older.

Ms. May: Excellent! What more can we add?

Big Rube: Well, he went from Little to X because Little was his slave name. When he became X, he was no longer a slave.

Dez: Malcolm X was never a slave, he was a street hustler.

Big Rube: Exactly, and street hustling is a slave mentality if you really think about it. It’s a condition in which we feel we have to survive because we don’t have other options.

Neicey: So, is that the phase you’re in? Should we call you Ruben Little or Ruben X?

Coco: No, it would be Ruben Coldier right?

Big Rube: Aight, yall better stop calling me Ruben. As a matter of fact leave my gov’t name out of the convo all together.

Ms. May: This is good dialogue. Let’s refocus on the question I originally posed. Why did Malcolm transition to El Hajj Malik Shabazz?

Coco: Oh, that was his transition after he made the pilgrimage to Mecca and became an Orthodox Muslim. My parents did the same thing. That’s why they named me Fatimah.

Malcolm: So why do you have people call you Coco?

Coco:(Coco snaps back) Why do you have people call you Malcolm when your first name is Xavier?

Malcolm: Oh, that’s simple. I didn’t choose Malcolm, Ms. May did.

Big Rube: Bruh, you let a teacher choose your name?

Malcolm: Not, exactly. When I first started here, she asked me my name and I said X. She looked at her roster and showed it to me and said, she didn’t have an X. I pointed to my name on the roster, Xavier Malcolm. She said...

Ms. May: I said, I would like to call my students by more than a letter and you have such a wonderful name, Xavier Malcolm.

Malcolm: Exactly, but I don’t like my first name like that so she asked if she could call me Malcolm and then everybody started calling me Malcolm. I like my middle name.

Ms. May: I love it! That brings us to my next question. What is in a name that makes it so powerful? Today we will be examining the power behind the names we were given and the names we have chosen for ourselves. You all will partner with someone in class and discuss your names with each other. Then you will write about your name. It can be a poem, prose, story, etc. I want you to be creative and use a form of writing where you think you can best express yourselves. I will give you 30 seconds of Yuna to choose a partner.

The students walked around as “Lullabies” played in the background. Neicey and Malcolm found each other of course. You would think they were together but they have been best friends since the beginning of the school year. Dez linked up with Chance and finally, with everyone in the room partnered up, Coco linked up with Big Rube. Ms. May got everyone’s attention with the fading out of the music and her center stance in the middle of the room. She always stood there to get everyone’s attention.

Ms. May: I’ll wait. Thank you so much for your attentive eyes. Now you are to interview each other about your names and write down each other’s responses. I will give you 5 minutes. Then you will exchange papers and use the notes your partners wrote about you as material you can use to compose your own piece of writing. At the end of class you will submit a draft to me which I will read and return to you tomorrow, with notes of course, so that you can revise as you see fit.

Neicey and Malcolm sit on the pillows in the corner with clipboards.

Rube: Aight now, I see you. She might be annoying but that’s my sister.

Malcolm: (side-eying Rube) You know what it is.

Neicey: I can speak for myself you know.

Malcolm: My bad. Anyway, let’s get started.

Neicey: Alright then, why don’t you like Xavier.

Malcolm: I don’t know. I don’t like the way it sounds. Why do people call you Neicey?

Neicey: We are still working on your name. You won’t be able to write much with, “I don’t know”.

Malcolm: Well, at my other school, people always made fun of my name. I even got into fights over it.

Neicey: You, fighten, I can’t imagine that.

Malcolm: I don’t like to fight but I will if I have to.

Neicey: What’s wrong with Xavier though. Isn’t it an HBCU?

Malcolm: Yeah, in Louisiana but the kids at my old school didn’t know that. They made fun of because it “sounded white” and I “sounded white”. I got tired of it, so I told people to call me X. My last teacher didn’t care about the name so she called me X and everyone else did too.

Neicey: So, why have you switched to Malcolm.

Malcolm: I mean, that started with Ms. May. I think the first day I met her she gave me the Autobiography of Malcolm X. I read it and it made me feel proud to have the name. My mother named me Malcolm because of him so I feel connected. He has to be one of the most prolific leaders in our history.

Neicey: Wow, prolific, I see you're using big words.

Malcolm: Stop playing, in all seriousness, Malcolm X, I think was misunderstood. Many thought him to be racist and violent but he was really a champion of his people. The fact that we share the name is dope so I like to be called Malcolm. My mom even calls me Malcolm now.

Neicey: Did you talk to her about why she named you Xavier.

Malcolm: Yeah she said she always wanted to go to school there but never got the chance. To be honest, I don’t want to be associated with something she didn’t get. Now, it’s your turn Ms. Neicey.

Neicey: My name is Anisah Ifraj Coldier.

Malcolm: That’s beautiful. Why do you have people call you Neicey?

Neicey: I have had that name since I was a baby. My aunt was young when I was born, like still in high school and she used to watch me alot while my mom was in school, in that nursing program. She always called me her Neicey. When she died a few years back, actually, it's been 'bout 5 years now, everybody started calling me Neicey.

Malcolm: Oh, I didn’t know about that.

Neicey: I know, we don’t talk about it much. Honestly, it's hard talking about it right now.

Malcolm: My bad, I didn’t mean to...

Neicey: You’re ok.

Neicey’s face sunk into sadness and her eyes glazed over. The two sat in silence for what felt like an eternity trapped in moments. The chatter of their classmates tuned out like turned down music. Malcolm broke the silence.

Malcolm: Anisah Ifraj what does that mean?

Neicey: Anisah means faithful friend or trusted companion. Ifraj means happiness after sorrow or at least that was what my mom said. She said she was having so much trouble in her life with feeling by herself that I was her joy after a lot of tears. I like all of my names.

Joy returned back to Neicey’s face as she reminisced about the time she spoke with her mother and her mother told her about her name.

Malcolm: Man that's deep. So I can call you Neicey, Anisah, or Ifraj?

Neicey: Malcolm, you can call me by any of my names. (Neicey smiles)

Malcolm: Bet that.

Ms. May: Alright ladies and gentlemen. I am hearing such wonderful conversations. It is now time to transition to our independent writing. Find a safe spot in the room for you to compose. Separate yourselves from your partners and avoid distraction areas. Make sure you exchange papers, 30 seconds to transition, and go.

Some students shuffled to other areas in the room while others remained seated. Yuma’s “Lullabies” plays in the background as students write.

15 minutes later the bell rings and everyone clamors to turn in their papers and rush to the door for dismissal. Ms. May stands at the door.

Ms. May: Remember I dismiss you. I’ll wait….. The room looks good. Have a wonderful day.