You’re pretty for a dark-skinned girl.
Taesha Detroit, MI I think almost every dark-skinned black girl goes through a phase (that hopefully she grows out of) where she doesn’t believe she...
Unfair Affirmative Action quotas must stop.
Susan Whitemore, Hartford, CT. Most qualified white passed over due to unfair Affirmative Action quotas. AA is unfair to all whites applying for higher education...
Where in Africa are you from?
Tony Moody Germany I am a retired Military Officer and Civil Service Employee. I live in Germany. A few times people assumed I am African...
She’s pretty for a black woman.
Mary Detroit, MI My dad was born in 1906 and would say this about perhaps the first black female anchor on a Detroit TV station;...
Why’s my skin darker than yours?
Kristen Green Richmond, VA My five-year-old multiracial daughter said these words while sitting on my lap today while we were both in bathing suits by...
My skin is BROWN not black.
Twanna Robinson Thomasville, NC In Sunday school one morning, a new child asked me why my skin was so dark. I told her it was...
Only whites can truly ignore racism
Bjorn Leslie Harlson Seattle, WA For the longest time I was not fully aware of my own privilege. I would be one of those crying...
You’re Pretty, for a Black Girl.
Kem Huntsville, AL I was so shocked when a white co-worker said this to me. He actually thought he was giving me a compliment!
Only proudly Mexican for scholarship purposes
Clarissa Galindo Richardson, TX Growing up in small town Texas, most people expected me to act a certain way just because of my heritage. I...
Dark skinned people don’t float well.
Ngina wa Kaai Canada While this wasn’t said to me directly, it was said by a white coworker to a child of Indian heritage while...
You’re not as pretty as Asians.
Kimberly San Jose, CA Since moving to the San Francisco area, I’ve been told by a few men quite bluntly that I’ll never measure up...
Why we need affirmative action today
Richard Young Dallas, TX Many people believe affirmative action programs seek to remedy past injustices in hiring. These programs help balance current discrimination practices, especially...
Father/Black Daughter/White Family/Race?
David T Roth Nashville, TN I was walking through Centennial Park in Nashville, TN. I looked up to see a young Father holding his daughter...
I stole scholarships from the needy.
Kristy Bryan Indianapolis, IN Race-based scholarships were meant to help increase the numbers of minorities in universities, but I felt like a fraud when I...
Mom said look black is ugly
Giselle Henry Torrance, CA The first person who taught me that looking more like my African ancestors than my non-African ancestors made me ugly was...
Affirmative Action crushed my Dad’s spirit.
Heather Bloom Bothell, WA I’ve never met a human with a stronger work ethic than my father, but after being denied a job opportunity because...
