You appear to like white women
Matthew Barrett, Houston, TX I’ve heard this from different women of color more times than I would like. I’m not entirely sure what would cause...
You are holding the binoculars backwards.
Andrew Schlager, Kansas City, MO. “You are holding the binoculars backwards.” We are so consumed by generalized assumptions about race that we fail to see...
Don’t make assumptions on my race.
Raquel, Tampa, FL Hillsborough Community College I’ve been called every race there is. Why not just ask me what I am?
She’s not my maid, I’m hers
Mara Floyd Fort Myers, FL Doris* and my mother have been best friends for over 40 years. Both teachers with their masters’ degrees, the two...
Intelligent despite assumptions, Yes I can!
Brianna Jenkins, Fauquier LFCC, VA People were often confused by my large vocabulary especially when I was younger. It was almost like a brown skin...
Don’t believe everything that you think
Jim Schultheiss, St. Johns, MI. I have always felt that I needed to be very careful and thoughtful on issues related to prejudice. Growing up...
Soul over body, love over fear
Charlie Rice, Douglasville, GA As a transgender person, I am often reduced to being no more than the body I was born in, and oftentimes...
Breaking news: I am not rich
Brooke Evans, Santa Barbara, CA I am white with blonde hair and blue eyes and I grew up in Santa Barbara, which is a fairly...
Yes, I can comb my hair..
Shaunise Allmond, Baltimore, MD. Society assumes since I am a black woman with natural hair I cannot do simple tasks like combing my hair. My...
White skin is the best camouflage
C. Badour, MI. In America today, the best way to fly under the radar is to be white. Assumptions are made about blacks, asians, and...
Race is history, embrace our species.
Daniel Sconce, Wenatchee, WA. Imagine you are blind and visiting another country. Imagine you don’t know the language and have none of the currency. Would...
Don’t make assumptions. Just ask questions.
Stephanie Woodworth, Piscataway, NJ. My six words are in reference to how hesitant (in some cases, even terrified) people are to talk to each other...
Muslim. Assumption I don’t speak English.
Elizabeth Liechti Chicago, IL Because I also speak German and Arabic I am sometimes VERY tempted to have a bit of fun with the person...
Because I’m White, I’ll never understand.
Daisy Weeks, Colorado Springs, CO. Assumptions, with small grain of truth.
intimidated by black men’s physical superiority
FessunUp Cracka, San Francisco, CA. My father never said n*****, but the multitude of subtleties…assumptions…these are mine to deal with. When I was a teenager,...
What are you? The ubiquitous question.
Laura Mariko Cheifetz Atlanta, GA I call myself hapa yonsei. I’m biracial white Jewish and Japanese American, fourth generation on both sides. However, there are...
