Hasani Arnold

Hasani Arnold

Schwarzman Scholar, Tsinghua University

Hasani Arnold received his undergraduate degree from CUNY Hunter College, where he studied English Literature and Chinese Language. He recently received his master’s degree from Tsinghua University Schwarzman College where his graduate thesis focused on the historical roots of the perceptions of black skin and black people in China. Hasani’s other research interests include race theory, sociology, and education reform. He is also a TikTok content creator with a following of 80k+ where he makes content about the experiences of being a foreigner in China.

A man walks past a mural on a street in Beijing, China, on 28 September 2022. (Jade Gao/AFP)

Being black in China: Loving something that doesn't always love you back

A young black American who has just finished his master’s in Beijing gives a first-hand account of being viewed as the Other in China. Despite some negative encounters, the conversations he has had in the local language and the friendships he has forged have made the experience all worthwhile.