bubble Archives - The Race Card Project

White Jewish girl in a bubble

February 12, 2026February 15, 2026 america, Asian, Beachwood, Black, bubble, Emily Einhorn, guilt, hate, Jewish, joke, lucky, OH, opportunity, small town, stand up, suburb, target, White girl, white guilt

Emily Einhorn,
Beachwood, OH.

Whenever there is talk about racism, a part of me feels guilty. I have lived in a small suburb my entire life. In this town, people joke you’re either black, Jewish, or Asian. I have never witnessed a racist act and I feel as if I’ve missed out on being a part of a prominent aspect in American culture. I have never felt targeted as a Jew and I have never seen any of my friends be targeted for the color of their skin. I am taught that, that is not how America really is and as ridiculous as it sounds I want to have the opportunity to stand up for what I believe is wrong. I hate feeling like a lucky little white girl.

Still figuring out my six words.

February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 beige, bubble, CA, Claudia Rankine, IL, insight, military, Oak Park, Patricia Smith, relationship, Rob Moore, six words, southern california, white

Rob Moore,
Oak Park, IL.

I was raised in Southern California, born into a military family. I’ve lived most of my life in a white–or beige–bubble. Recently, because of an important and loving relationship, I’ve been thinking a lot more about race as it affects us today. Reading Claudia Rankine, Patricia Smith, many others who have clear insight into our environment today.

Go Back To Your Own Country

August 25, 2022 Aixa Rojas, bubble, El Paso, first experience, Go back to your own country, High School, Hispanic, locker room, Mexican, sports, team, TX

Aixa Rojas,
El Paso, TX

I am told by a blonde girl from the opposite team while we leave the locker room at the State competition. I was only 16 and it was my second year in the United States; I was still so ignorant of the prejudices held against me and my culture. I am a first-generation Mexican American, born in the U.S. but raised on the Mexican side of the border. In my small Hispanic community, I was kept in a bubble even when I started high school in the U.S. In my town, most of my classmates and people around me looked and talked just like me. However, I was hit with a harsh reality the very first time I had the opportunity to travel where I was clearly in the minority.

El Paso Community College
SOCI 1301

Just another small-town white girl

November 29, 2021November 29, 2021 Addie, basic, bubble, ignorance, jokes, middle class, rude, small town, VA, Warrenton, White girl

Addie,
Warrenton, VA

I mean, those six words sum me up in a very basic way, but they are true. Growing up majority-white smallish town in Virginia didn’t give me much of an outlook on other people, how they lived, and how their experiences differed from mine. I just lived in my middle-class bubble, full of ignorance. I’ve made many insensitive and just plain rude “jokes” or comments about other people regarding many things. I’m upset with myself for even once encouraging the idea that they were funny or okay even though deep down I knew that they weren’t. I think back and cringe. I honestly didn’t fully understand the main problems of race in America until recently. But I’m trying. I’m trying to educate myself on race, gender, class, etc., and how that affects people’s experiences growing up and living in our country. I’m trying to figure out how I can help shape our future to include and raise the people we have disadvantaged for so long. I’m trying; I hope it’s enough.

Let’s define worth from within instead

May 4, 2021 bubble, grace, midddle-class, Naomi Crandall, self-worth, USA, white

Naomi Crandall,
USA

I’ve grown up my whole life in an area most people know to be a “bubble”. Although I occasionally come in contact with people from diverse backgrounds, my world is filled with primarily white, middle-class families. Every day I am learning that my appearance and background do not define me and am learning to extend that same grace to others. At the end of the day, the way that we look carries little significance over the way we treat others and ourselves.

Never belonging. Puerto Rican or American?

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 alone, American, belong, Brooklyn, bubble, Lorna Hagen, New Yorker, NY, Puerto Rican

Lorna Hagen,
Brooklyn, NY.

I am Puerto Rico born New Yorker that moved to the US when I was 12. Somewhere in the plane ride over I lost something – I have no shared childhood experiences with my North American friends (lullabies, games, etc.) and no shared adolescent experiences with my Puerto Rican friends. It has always felt like a bubble that I’m in alone.

Invisible to the census but here

September 24, 2018September 24, 2018 application, bubble, census, check the box, Grsteena Khoshaba, Invisible, MI, Middle-Eastern, official document, Race, really white, Warren, Where am I

Grsteena Khoshaba,
Warren, MI.

I am a Middle Eastern girl and I just have one question. Where am I? Why is it whenever I have to fill out an official document that asks for my race, Middle Eastern is not an option? We are forced to bubble “White” when we’re not really white.

I used to live in a bubble

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018 Alex Hall, bubble, change, Katonah, live in a bubble, NY

Alex Hall,
Katonah, NY.

I cannot choose just one race

April 7, 2015 bubble, check the box, choose, FL, heritage, identify, ignorant, Jade Pritchett, multiracial, pick, Port St. Lucie, proud, Race

Jade Pritchett,
Port St. Lucie, FL.

Growing up, I never understood how I was supposed to chose a bubble, check a box, pick one race. I am multiracial, and proud of it. Teachers would tell me to choose the one that I “feel”. Does that mean that I can’t feel them all? When I grew up, and went to get a drivers license, they said if I have any African American in me I have to choose that. How can someone tell me that I have to choose one, identify with one, be one? It’s ignorant to think that every single part of my racial heritage doesn’t have an impact on me, and that someone else gets to decide that we have to ignore a part of ourselves.

Red skin. Reservation. Relegated. Re-appropriated. Reimagined. Resolute.

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015 Bethesda, bubble, education, Faith Roessel, Georgetown Day, key, MD, Native American, Navajo Indian, red skin, relegated, reservation, resolute, stereotype, USA, within the beltway

Faith Roessel,
Bethesda, MD.
Georgetown Day

I am Navajo Indian, born and raised on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. I now live in the “bubble” and within the “beltway” of Washington, DC with my non Indian husband and my three incredible boys. No one can imagine the challenges we face day in and day out being American Indian and navigating a maze of misunderstandings, ignorance, stereotypes and even sympathy from folks who perceive or rather mis-perceive us. Even at the progressive school my boys go to and where you will be speaking, “they just don’t get it”. Education is the key. If you don’t get America’s story right, from the very beginning, then everything thereafter is tainted. We have yet to see America’s story, which means our American Indian story, told from a candid and truthful perspective.

I am MORE than just WHITE.

April 10, 2013 Ann Arbor, bubble, Duthch American, MI, Michael Petzak, More, white

Michael Petzak
Ann Arbor, MI

My whole life, the only bubble I can fill out is white. I am white in color but I am more than just a Caucasian. I am a Polish and Dutch American with great pride in my ancestry. I wish I was given the opportunity to identify with a group other than just white, since I am much more than this and relate with many other groups. Race and color are so subjective.

In a bubble, then it popped.

April 3, 2013 Ann Arbor, bubble, culture, diversity, Emily Laske, MI, popped, Understanding Race Project, University of Michigan, white

Emily Laske
Ann Arbor, MI
Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan

I lived in a small city that was 94% white, with minimal exposure to
the concepts of race and racism. Coming to the University of Michigan
was an extreme sort of diversity culture shock for me, and through my
courses I have gained knowledge about race and racism that interests
me, guilts me, and makes me question our society all at the same time,
Ultimately, it would have been less emotionally and mentally traumatic
for me to have stayed in my protective bubble, but I will never stop
being thankful that it popped.

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