Charles Hirsch
Mount Washington, MA
I had the wonderful opportunity to grow up in a multicultural community. I attended daycare sponsored by the Jewish Community Center, was a confirmed member of the Congregational church (United Church of Christ), I chose to enroll at Catholic Saint Michael’s college where I learned about Catholicism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. I have worked for the YMCA based in New Haven and Bridgeport, CT, which serves inner city families along with members living in some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country. I met my wife who was born in India and grew up in Australia and we were married in a modified Hindu wedding ceremony. I am white, upper middle class but I have had the opportunity to experience friends, co-workers, and families who shared ideas from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe. It is hard for me to understand how individuals of any race feel different because I have never been a part of that. The only people I try to avoid are those who promote the idea(s) that “other types of people” are less than or deserve less. I know this makes it difficult for me to empathize and/or understand the “other side”. I just get angry at signs of racism, segregation, or intolerance.
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