Bozeman Archives - The Race Card Project

Not overcooked or underdone. Just right.

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 Bozeman, called me names, Human race, just right, Lei-Anna Bertelsen, MT, overcook, skin color, underdone, where are you from

Lei-Anna Bertelsen,
Bozeman, MT.

I’ve grappled with this question all my life. My dad told me a story when I was a second grader after a boy called me names based on my skin color. My dad explained that when God made people, it took three tries to bake us to just the right color. When I was younger, I felt much more defensive when asked, ‘Where are you from?’ because it evoked in me the insecurity of ‘Where do I belong?’ But at my age and in today’s world, I choose to believe Its really a seeking question of ‘How are we connected.’ And I can feel confident in knowing we all belong as citizens of Earth to the human race.

When did you notice the Band-Aids?

June 11, 2020February 21, 2021 Band-Aid, Bozeman, first experience, majority, Molly, MT, skin, white privilege

Molly,
Bozeman, MT.

I was in my teens before it occurred to me that Band-Aids are made to match the skin of the White majority. That’s a trivial example of White privilege, but a telling one.

Racism is deplorable / racist is epithet

July 10, 2015 Bozeman, deplorable, epithet, Lucian Hand, MT, offensive, racism, Racist

Lucian Hand,
Bozeman, MT.

To those of us who deplore racism, “racist” is a deeply offensive epithet – use such powerful words with discretion.

We are all the same inside.

December 6, 2013 Bozeman, chocolate cake, frosting, Inside, MT, same

Olivia
Bozeman, MT

We’re all like chocolate cake. You can frost those cakes with white frosting, yellow or heck, even purple. The thing is, chocolate cake is chocolate cake even if it has purple frosting.

I’m white, he’s black. So what?

August 11, 2013 Black, Bozeman, interracial, Kim Pribanic, MT, so what, white

Kim Pribanic
Bozeman, MT

He could be pink with purple polka dots and I wouldn’t care. Is he a good man? Does he treat me with respect? Does he treat himself, his friends, and his parents with respect? Those are the things that count.

Nobody’s a racist, but racism persists.

February 22, 2013 abuse, American, Anger, Bozeman, MT, nobody, persists, ravist

Molly
Bozeman, MT

It’s clear from many academic studies that significant racism still exists in the United States. On the other hand, almost every American will vehemently deny being a racist. Often racism seems like a kind of disembodied force, a cultural ghost that we still can’t exorcise. It’s no wonder that some of the people who receive its abuse respond with unfocused anger.

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