Nixi Chesnavich
Pittsburgh, PA
I was raised by a racist. My grandfather had a bias against everyone who wasn’t exactly like him. Even as a young child, I could see that the stereotypes he tried to instill in me were simplistic and dehumanizing. I chose not to hate. I chose to see all people as kin to me, all members of the human race above all others. I choose to judge people based on what is inside them, on the content of their character, as Dr. King so aptly phrased it. Everyone deserves an equal seat at the table, even those racists who recognize their error and seek forgivenness. To refuse a chance at redemption only perpetuates the division. All men are brothers, all women are sisters, and all must be welcomed home. It isn’t a zero sum game. We can all have more and be better by being better to one another. Strife over superficialities can only diminish us all.
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