feel Archives - The Race Card Project

Your skin feels just like mine!

September 8, 2021September 8, 2021 changed, elementary school, feel, Laura Speegle, teacher, TX, waco

Laura Speegle
Waco, TX

I teach elementary school in Waco, Texas. I can’t remember why this little bitty girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old, was sitting in my lap crying… but suddenly she reached out and stroked my pale white are and looked up at me in surprise. After making this observation she snuggled for a moment and then hopped down and went on about her business, leaving me changed forever.

Must feel it then heal it.

February 23, 2021 East Lansing, feel, heal, MI, Olivia Hemstrom

Olivia Hemstrom,
East Lansing, MI

I see much. I feel everything.

June 7, 2020February 22, 2021 Atlantic Beach, black man, cab driver, everything, fear, feel, FL, Jeanie Mitchell, liberal, one race the human race, rise above, See, taxi driver, white women, work hard

Jeanie Mitchell,
Atlantic Beach, FL.

I’m a taxi driver. I’ve been accused of being too liberal to be a cab driver. I see so much, every day. I transport a lot of people and I hear so many stories. I fear being a white woman, carrying a white man, in this industry, more than I fear being a white woman who transports a black man, in this industry. I see the “flat line” in their eyes, when they converse with me, I hear their tired voices. They work hard, they strive to rise above.
When we strip ourselves of all; color, background, religious/sexual orientation, political views…..one is left exposed as HUMAN.

Why does the oppressor feel oppressed?

January 3, 2018January 3, 2018 Denise R., feel, oppressed, oppressor, USA

Denise R.,
USA

I Never Know How to Feel

January 3, 2018January 3, 2019 anonymous, bigot, College, dissapointment, feel, feelings, NY, Plattsburgh, prejudice, rural

Anonymous
Plattsburgh, NY

I grew up in a rural upstate NY town–hating everything that seemed bigoted or prejudiced. I loathed a lot of the people I knew in adolescence who held tight to old racist values. I went into college with an open mind and an open heart.

I don’t know what happened next. Our University has a large black population and–even though they had done nothing to me, I began to feel a lot of animosity towards them. The girls who seemed just to act so over the top. The guys who wore suits and tried to compensate for…something? I don’t know. I even began to think that these people smelled ‘different’…

I don’t want to be a racist. I believe we all should have the opportunity to achieve our goals. Yet for whatever reason, I can’t abandon this horrible way of thinking. I disappoint myself a lot.

I feel guilty of my skin color

November 11, 2016 Color, Delaware, Elisha Lowery, feel, guilty, human, OH, skin color

Elisha Lowery,
Delaware, OH.

At times I feel guilty for being white. I feel people look at me and say “she has it easy she is white”. I feel guilty of how certain people still today treat colored people and they should’t treat them badly because we are all human.

White and sometimes I feel ashamed.

November 9, 2015 ashamed, CA, feel, Marsha Wilson, Sacramento, white

Marsha Wilson,
Sacramento, CA.

I have never felt so invisible

September 10, 2014 Bethany Fetterhoff, feel, Indiana, Invisible, PA

Bethany Fetterhoff,
Indiana, PA.

I wish I felt more comfortable

July 8, 2014 Brooklyn, comfortable, feel, Meredith Doherty, NY, wish

Meredith Doherty
Brooklyn, NY

Should I feel guilty I’m white?

June 9, 2014 Canfield, feel, guilt, guilty, Molly Kohler, OH, white

Molly Kohler
Canfield, OH

History taught me how to feel

May 2, 2014 Chicago, Chyealla C McBride, emotion, feel, history, IL, taught

Chyealla C McBride
Chicago, IL

I’m an emotional person, but I wasn’t raised to properly express emotion. In learning and reading about other’s experiences, gave me language and comparisons to my own experience in the world. Starting with empathy for my people’s struggles, I grew to be able to express myself emotionally in ways I never had before. I feel like a more complete person

Why don’t I feel anything more

March 28, 2014 anonymous, Brooklyn, feel, New York City, NY

Anonymous
New York City, NY
Brooklyn

Wear blindfolds and FEEL one’s character

October 11, 2013October 9, 2013 blindfold, character, Deborah Llamas, feel, FL, plantation

Deborah Llamas
Plantation, FL

Not Understanding Doesn’t Make Me Racist

October 6, 2013October 6, 2013 feel, mixed, Normandy Park, philosophy, Racist, Rhonda Cavanaugh, understanding, WA

Rhonda Cavanaugh
Normandy Park, WA

My statement reflects how I feel when I don’t understand and ask questions of those who are further along in the antil racist work that we all do. I grew up in a white area but always managed to have friends of color. I didn’t always understand where they were coming from and still don’t. I ask lots of question so I can understand and be a great white ally. I work with a non profit organization that has a anti racism statement in it’s philosophy. I am proud to be a part of the talk and hopefully the solution. I’m raising a mixed child on my own in a predominantly white neighborhood, where I intentionally moved so she could have the best start in the best elementary school possible. This makes me mad that I had to do that….all children deserve the BEST education, the BEST parenting, and the BEST neighborhoods to grow up in. All deserve the BEST chances in life…..