Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Arms

The world I was born in and the world I grew up in were very different places. This contrast served as my first experience of racial inequality. I was born in the summer of 1985 in Birmingham, AL. My grandparents were both born and raised there. My mother went through high school during the heat of the 1960s. Needless to say, I was explained from an early age what the difference between skintone meant.

Although segregation was by technicality illegal I observed how the Southern part of America has extremely divided communities. You can literally drive through areas where you will see only black and only white communities. Now I was born there but lived mostly in Army towns which were melting pots of cultures. We all talked about skin color on base but it was more in a factual way. We had to get to know each other quickly. Sharing things like, “I’m from Puerto Rico“ or “my mom is Korean“ was completely normal. We saw that our skintones were different but appreciated one another. Our parents were united in serving our country and all of us just wanted to make friends. We saw black, brown, tan, yellow and white but it didn’t matter. We just were kids trying to make it through another move.

We lived in a variety of places and along the way we collected friends. When we returned to Texas we had a drastically different experience. I remember showing up to school that first semester and most of the kids were white in my honors classes. It was weird. I felt out of place (more so than I normally do). I noticed a huge divide at our lunch tables. No one at my school seemed bothered… this is just how it was… it plagued me.

During this same time, my little sister was entering junior high and I remember her coming home in distress over the way some of the kids were being treated over their skin. Our family was enraged… it was something my parents didn’t have to deal with that in the same way when were on base. Now we lived in a predominantly white upper middle class academic community. We were complete oddballs there.

I believe many people really don’t even see how they are being racist, but it exists none the less. It’s been woven into American culture. Most whites stay far away from the topic and my dear black friends just want a chance to be heard. For their viewpoint to be taken seriously. For the rest of the world to understand that black people experience an additional barrier simply due to which skin color they were born with in many of our communities. Why can’t we give them a chance to share? Then support them!!!

Let them share their fears, concerns and viewpoints. Give them a chance to share their hearts, minds and souls with us. We are all part of this world but we can only be as good as our weakest leg. I believe racism is the weakest part of our society. By definition we are a single nation under God. We’ve got to be better together!!!

How can we still stand divided on our fellow Americans? It’s not about seeing no skintone - it’s about seeing that all skintones, especially deeper shades are beautiful. It’s about appreciating their cultures who have been unnoticed! It’s about lifting up a group of our friends and family that have been mistreated year after year.

We are called now to lift our colored friends up. Can you even imagine their fear right now? Their heartache? Their anger?

We can be better together - I stand in solidarity with you my friends!!!