Kimberly Cuthbert,
Wayne, PA
My dad has experienced some extreme racism having been born in 1942. He has shared his stories to remind my brother and I, and now his grandchildren, how far we have come, yet how far we need to grow. He didn’t make his experiences our burden or anger, he shared his stories to help us grow and understand people and to learn to call them in instead of calling them out.
We had our car window shot out by a student in my class who happened to be friends with our nextdoor neighbor. My parents did not press charges. I am certain they both would have had a juvenile record. Instead, when the young man came over to apologize, even though I was ready to throw punches, my dad handed him a rake. He spent hours with us cleaning the backyard. My parents wanted him to know who our family was, instead of who he thought we were based on his father’s racist thoughts and teachings. My parents are my heroes for so many reasons. My dad always says, “ He could be bitter or he could do better.”
