Brown eggs. White eggs. Same omlet.
Peter Denzin, Greeley, CO. Since retirement, I’ve taught English as a Second Language classes for 11 years. My classes are made up of immigrants and...
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...
That is Mr. “Mutt” to you!
Chris Cochran, Murrieta, CA. Where are you from? It’s a loaded question in that I could answer where I was born, where I was raised,...
Kindergarten without English. I’m still fine.
Vishwa Dhuleshia, Shrewsberry, MA. I started Kindergarten knowing how to say only two things in Enlgish: “my name is Vishwa” and “I have to go...
”I am white, But not racist.”
R.E.A.L. Talk, High Tech Middle Media Arts, 7th Grade Trailblazer I’ve been called racist just by talking to someone of color. As someone whose ancestors...
I’m biracial & multi-ethnic: I’m Human.
Nichole Pettit, Lake Como, NJ. Monmouth University I’m biracial. I’m not just African American, I’m also American, German, English and Irish! Many say “You’re black,”...
You’re condescending, I speak English too.
Jorge Alvarez, Salt Lake City, UT. One of the things that I find very annoying is when people say “Hola” right off the bat, “Si”...
Hello, you speak very good English
Francis Ngugi, Harrisburg, PA. This is what they all said when we immigrated here.
Oh, your English is quite good.
Sandy Jiang, San Francisco, CA. When I was in a different state for a course, we were building a foot trail for a national park...
“Black” enough for slavery, still “White”
James Cannon, Sacramento, CA. I’m forbidden from appreciating my African English grandmothers experiences and how they contributed to my outlook on life, or sharing this...
Hope my children will speak Spanish
Sandra Aguilar-Rodríguez, Bethlehem, PA. I am Mexican, I speak English, French and Spanish. I have a PhD in History, but still I find it difficult...
But you don’t have an accent…
Sandra Reyes, Santa Cruz, CA. Response from some when they learn that my parents are from El Salvador and English is not my first language.
I’m not black, I’m dark brown.
Kelly M., Indonesia. My six words were spoken by my daughter when she was seven years old. I am From Texas, my family tree consists...
No, I’m not Italian or Spanish.
Michele Warch, Georgetown, DE. My mom is English and Native American. My dad is Scotch-Irish and German. I speak Cherokee and read some Gaelic. I...
I’m Jocelyn, I do speak English.
Jocelyn Rueda, Napa, CA. I am a Mexican female. I once went to a store and went up to the register to ask a question...
“No eres gringa, no actúes así.”
Valerie Guerrero, Mission, TX. All my life I’ve grown up around my Hispanic family. It’s unusual for me to ever say something in English in...
