Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

Cam is a teenage boy from Austin who spends his summers at his grandmother’s house in Franklin, South Carolina, with his cousin, Myron. The prior summer, he finally told a girl, Jessica, that he liked her, and the two stayed in touch for a few months. However, she slowly stopped responding. Now, he has gotten a haircut and bought new shoes to impress her.

Cam and Myron drive to Tarik’s house for a party. On the way, Cam thinks of Myron’s love of musical theater and his ability to sing, dance, and act. He wants to go to college for theater if his dad will “let him.” Myron mentions that he is not even sure if Jessica is interested in guys, especially guys like Cam, a reference to the fact that guys in Franklin talk behind his back about him being an “Oreo”—a “Black boy trying to be white” (28). Cam notices that Myron says she is not interested in guys like “you”—referring to Cam—instead of guys like “us”—referring to both him and Cam. Cam notes how weird this is, given that Myron hides his love of theater and blasts rap music to fit in with the other Black kids.