I am always the perpetual foreigner.
Jina Lee, Germantown, MD. No, SRSLY though… I’ve gotten the “Do you speak English?” to “Wow! You actually speak English.” I’m American, and the year...
Never Been Asked: “What Are You?”
Ella Harris, Columbia, MD I always felt disconnected from my African American identity. With my blonde hair, light green eyes, and fair skin, the world...
Latkes or lumpia- beautiful Hapa struggle
Ann Hirschhorn, Silver Spring, MD. My parents grew up in a time where interracial couples were criticized for diluting the race of their children. My...
We’ve got a new lawyer now
David Rotenstein, Silver Spring, MD. Africville was a community of African Canadians on Bedford Bay in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was settled in the early...
Fast dances, yes; slow dances, no.
Jo Paoletti, University Park, MD From diary, when I was 16: September 24, 1965 I had a great time at the dance tonight – no...
Skin says black, hair says mixed.
Carolyn Hipkins, Largo, MD. All my life I’ve been told that I have “good hair”. Its very soft and with a loose curl pattern. If...
Too Light, Too Dark…Who Cares
Wilhelmina Street, Baltimore, MD. Actually, more people of our very own race seem to struggle with the idea of an extremely light person marrying someone...
Rene’s Mom said she couldn’t come….
Rae Ann McInnis, Towson, MD 9th grade. All girl Catholic High School. I planned a sleepover and had about four or five of my friends...
Systemic – Racism. Sexism. Ignorance. | Oppression Olympics
Lucinda Diehl, Westminster, MD I find it scary. Life is scary. Protesting during a pandemic Institutional- systemic Racism and faces Not with names but cases...
One is either racist or antiracist.
Allen Brizee, Baltimore, MD Paraphrasing Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist.
Respectfulness earns your race-deserved respect.
Kirk R Towner, Lake Shore, MD Six more words in the form of a question: Will we ever not see color?
Racist parents from shame springs motivation
Ingrid Irigoyen, Bethesda, MD For the first decade of my life I lived with biological parents who were avowed racists. That experience was scarring because...
I cannot define my own race.
Jenelle Alvarez, MD I am Hispanic, and Hispanics don’t necessarily fit into one race, or even any.
