I will not change for anyone.
Kaylee Doney,
Las Vegas, NV.
I think these words could go for anyone but I chose these words because being white, along with other races, means people expect you to act or be a certain way. Well I say this is not how it should be. Everyone should be able to act how they want (within a certain limit) without being judged or corrected.
Privilege means responsibility to be better.
Morgan Lavandowska
Minneapolis, MN
As a 21 year old white woman, I have the privilege of being white that gives me power to do what others can’t. Instead of abusing that power, I prefer to try to help bring positive change to the world and, hopefully, help bring equality for all.
“You can’t say that stuff here”
Danielle R,
San Francisco, CA.
Someone in response to their friend’s racial slur at a party… How about you can’t say that stuff anywhere? Racism hasn’t been defeated, it has moved behind closed doors. Change won’t happen if people only call their friends out when they’re worried that someone will hear. Just because there’s no one around to be offended by something, doesn’t make it ok to say.
Bigots can change, cuz I did.
Don O’Neal,
Charlottesville, VA
I was raised to be a bigot. But I grew past that and raised a son to be different than I was raised. I live in Charlottesville VA. When the white supremacists came to town I literally stood arm in arm with diverse neighbors, willing to fight to keep hate out of our town.
Once uneducated/naive. I’m changing that.
Jordyn Ducotey,
Seattle, WA.
Recent events have really made me challenge my own thoughts and the perceptions that I have been taught. I consciously make an effort to expose myself to the injustices that are occuring in the world around me. I actively seek stories and look into them instead of listening to what my peers/the media feeds to me. I used to be the person to say, “Stop making everything about race.” and the other common phrases you hear these days. But after challenging myself and diving into the issues on my own, I’m so glad that I’ve learned that there are REAL issues going on. I now spend time trying to educate others, while continuing to educate myself. I think that education is the most important part. People will not change their views on this unless they are educated about it.
Laid his change on the counter
Steve Williams
USA
I was 12 and working in my Dad’s gas station in a small town in Nebraska in 1968. I had never seen a black man before. As soon as I laid his change down instead of handing it to him directly I realized he was no different. But too late.
Once a foreigner. Forever an outsider.
Adrienne Lau,
San Francisco, CA.
Let’s try to make a change!
Color doesn’t change who you are
Rahul Chalumuri,
Durham, NH
The University System of New Hampshire
The color of your skin shouldn’t change who you are, or who you want to be. Your color of skin shouldn’t make you any different than anyone else. Humanity has reached a point that we are capable to do many things in life, and throughout it all there should be no reason to change who you are based on your color. We are all human.
Our inheritance hate, our legacy love
Pat Grauer,
DeWitt, MI.
We are the comma. We are the now. We are the small point between great ancient forces and a future of positive change in human relationships.
Color doesn’t change who you are
Lindsey Einck,
Primghar, IA
South O’brien. Color doesn’t change who you are. Your color of your skin shouldn’t make you any different than anyone else.
I am Asian but look white
Jason Eng,
Hong Kong.
As a kid I looked more Chinese, and I identified as Chinese, because all my relatives looked Chinese and I was proud to associate myself with the subculture of Asian America. As I got older my appearance changed. Now I think that one should be able to identify as one chooses. In spite of the fact that people may always judge your appearance as something else.
Not resolved until white people change.
Sharon Gatewood,
Cedar Falls, IA
Race sees race. Love sees love.
Naette Lee,
Philadelphia, PA.
The nature of humans is that what we see is what matters. What we see has little to do with what is, or what is important. Maybe one day that will change.
Change On Counter Not In Hand
Kristina T. Sanders,
Sumter, SC.
A regular day at work turned into an eye opening experience. I had helped a customer pick out a pair of shoes, and it was time for him to purchase them. The customer was a tall middle age Caucasian gentlemen. I gave him his total and he pulled out the money. I held my hand out to receive the money and he look and me and simply placed the money on the counter. I was shocked and surprised that this had occurred. He wanted to make sure his hands didn’t touch mine. I said to myself, “Wow, racism does still exist.” I was compelled to write about this event because it surprised me how much racism still exist in the 21st century.
