Selamawit Hurisa,
Richmond, VA

In my child’s school, the majority of parents are white. I am a black immigrant and I am confronted with many difficulties while navigating the humanscape of a majority white school. I find it difficult to fit, be accepted and just participate in the perfunctory day to day parent interaction at the school. Every time I visit the school and participate in school events, other parents are staring at me as if I am from a distant galaxy. They treat me indifferently or ignore me completely, and I allow myself to feel uncomfortable and further question if in fact I did come from another planet. Perhaps to many of the other school parents I am from another planet.