Anonymous, Warren, MI. Why do white people hate and fear black people to such a point that white people set a global system of a racism against black people in every way? Are white afraid of losing to black in some way or is it something deeper and hidden?
There is only one race “Human”
Rebecca Myers, Battle Creek, MI. I wish we were all treated and acknowledge each other as equals. After all there is only one race and that is human.
Sir, please take your “hat” off
Jasneet Kaur Palaha, Ann Arbor, MI. University of Michigan. Sikhism, a monotheistic religion from Northern India believes the idea of simplicity, therefore requiring to never cut your hair, along with other requests. Men usually tie their hair neatly in a turban, whereas girls commonly let it down. Wherever we were, my father would be frisked […]
Poor White Kid, Wheres My Privilege?
Chris, Redlands, CA. Growing up on welfare, to a single mother in rural Michigan, I learned not to expect help from anyone. However, my whole life I have heard of this privilege that we all are given given because we are white. While I’ve never been in another persons footsteps, life hasn’t been very easy, […]
White Proud Accepting Republican American
Logan Russell, Grand Rapids, MI. Racism will never go away, but I do not believe that one race is being ill-treated if anything the white race is
The Word Race Was a Mistake
Eric Brooks, Ann Arbor, MI. It makes simpleminded people go to biological differences when their complaints are with culture.
They were Asian and left 20%!
Caitlyn Rize, Ann Arbor, MI. As a waitress on a college campus, the people I work with constantly stereotype their tables before even walking up to them. Oftentimes the other servers will “give their table away” — meaning they don’t want to serve them — to us other servers who give everyone the chance to […]
We were once all immigrants somewhere
Liza, MI.
I’m a Yooper, Not all hicks.
Brody Sundquist, Kingsford, MI. yoop·er /yo͞opər/: a native or inhabitant of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Being Caucasian Doesn’t Make Me Racist
Luke Pomranke, Petoskey, MI. I feel that I always need to be careful about what I say so that I am not accused of being racist. At times, I will make the exact same comment as someone from a different race but I will be accused of being racist while the other person will not […]
Being Mexican in a white community
Cierra Huerta, Eaton Rapids, MI.
I am not good at math.
Skylar, Allendale, MI.
It’s all about interactions with others.
Katelyn Prine, East Lansing, MI. As a white student who grew up in rural Michigan, my conception of race did not exist in my small community. For me learning about race is best done through meeting people who have faced the struggles and building relationships. Groups like MRULE on campus have inspired my growth and […]
When will I stop liking chicken?
Nicholas Durham Clarkson, MI I just want to know when America will realize that not only black people like chicken.
More than just a “white” woman
Brandi Schroeder, East Lansing, MI. I have a rather diverse group of friends, and the other day one made a comment about my origins. I grew up in a predominantly caucasian town where my high school held maybe 10 black students. My friend, who happens to be Somali, asked this question, and upon my answer […]
“But you have to play soccer”
Joanna Pedraza, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. There are a lot of people who ask me if I play soccer, and I do. But when I say I don’t play soccer they usually say “But you’re Mexican you have to play soccer” and I don’t like that, just because i’m Mexican […]
No, I’m “really” from New York.
Kate Lee van Loveren, Ann Arbor, MI. I was born in New York, grew up in New York, and live in New York (when I’m not at school). I’m of half Chinese and half Dutch descent, but for some people that registers into me not being American for some reason. Just by looking at me, […]
Slave trader descendent attempts healing words
Lyn Franklin Hoyt, Nashville, TN. I’m on a search, a journey for words, to figure out how my family heritage can be used for good to heal atrocities, rather than become a memory of evil. Not to hide that evil, but face it head on as recognition slavery was wrong and to talk about what […]
So much work still to do
Dave, East Lansing, MI.
Don’t judge me by my career
Anthony Villarreal, Adrian, MI. Former Police and Criminal Justice Major people automatically think I’m going to correct them on every little wrong I see them do.
Humankind: the only race that matters.
Nora Kathryn, Starkville, MI. It astounds me that media turns so many stories into race debates. I wish we could celebrate our differences in religion, political views, sexuality, income, and ethnicities and implement more support for our fellow brothers and sisters in the human race.
We can’t defy the Inevitable!!! Truth
Anonymous Ann Arbor, MI
Japanese and American, not Japanese-American.
Aya Mimura Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan
I look American, but eat differently
Pierluigi Erbaggio Bloomfield Hills, MI Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan
Will Work for White Male Privilege
Zander Delo, Lansing, MI. I work my tail off to make a minimalistic living. Ad-hominem finger-pointing, blind racism towards anybody (even white males), is only destructive; it has no constructive purpose for either party. Attempting to gain something by trying to discourage those above or below you in the social hierarchy is barbaric; more constructive […]
I didn’t think it effected me.
Jillian Manning Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project – University of Michigan I was wrong.
And afterall, we all bleed red.
Jorge Grand Rapids, MI I am Hispanic and proud to be so. Growing up I realized that my skin was darker than my brothers’ and many others in the family and from very early on (growing up in El Salvador, my beloved but racist little country) I was aware that the color of one’s skin […]
Why the Confederate flag is NOT racist
Daisy Martinez, Holland, MI. The Confederate flag does not represent and never has represented racism. It’s a symbol of the southern heritage, representing freedom, states rights, individual responsibility, and resistance to an out of control federal government. It may be true that some racists have used the Confederate flag, but racists also wave the American […]
I didn’t know they were different.
Tina S. Walther, Milan, MI. My mother was pregnant with me when she moved from upstate NY to the south in 1962. While the weather was nice the surroundings were challenging – especially for a white, woman, Catholic, with no accent and someone not willing to have a maid or gardener. So it was time […]
My skin color doesn’t make me.
Michael Hall, Southfield, MI. I am from Detroit, MI. I am a leader and role model in my community. I aim high with the goals that I set for myself to give hope to young black children that look up to me.
Scientifically, we’re all the same race
Megan Wurtz, Garden City, MI.
Call Me Mutt: One Doesn’t Fit
Mark Sundermann Holt, MI This morning’s story about Mixed Heritage gave me hope. How does one pick from the following? German, Mexican, Dutch, Zapotec, Irish and (possibly) Menomini? I’m a MUTT.
See the heart, not the skin.
Melanie Smith, East Lansing, MI.
Married a white girl, now what??
Kyle Lim, Grand Rapids, MI. As a biracial individual, I learned early-on how to de-emphasize certain aspects of my racial identity depending on who I was around. When I met my wife Claire, we were both attending a predominantly white private college and although she knew that I was mixed, her experiences with me have […]
We Are All The Same, Human
Randa Saeed, West Bloomfield, MI. We are all the same,human. We bleed the same color,red.Are bodies work the same,yet everyone thinks the color of your skin defines how high or low you are in society. Don’t let anyone tell you aren’t good enough because of your skin color , race or whatever it might be. […]
Black girl pursuing her true happiness
Alissa Ward, Pontiac, MI. I know that even though I am a very intelligent and smart girl, I still will get discriminated because of the color of my skin. Whether it is in a social environment or a business environment I will always be judge because of what I look like or my complexion. I […]
Can we get over it, please?
Aimee Foster, Columbia, MI.
I’m white I’m not white trash
Madison, West Bloomfield, MI. I don’t have much to say. But I am a white girl, and I have been called white trash before, I walk into a public place and people my age who I have never met before start whispering and laughing at me, I had just happened to hear the phrase “white […]
New experiences: better late than never.
Bryce Beckwith Ann Arbor, MI I attended a catholic, all-girls high school in Sacramento, California. Race and diversity were things I had only experienced through informative assemblies. However; the University of Michigan has made those assemblies a daily experience.
I’m white. You’re not. So what?
Maureen Burns, Ann Arbor, MI. Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan I have three lovely granddaughters. We’re all different. It doesn’t matter. We’re family.
Hispanic or Latino? I feel American
Hector Vargas, Grand Rapids, MI. I grew up on the east coast. The high school I attended was primarily populated by minorities. My mother is Mexican and my biological father is Brazilian. My mother remarried and i was raised with Mexican customs. On the East cost I was considered Latino, in the mid west I […]
We are rising but still struggling.
Alan, University City, MI.
I have pride in my black!
Candayshia Loyd, Flint, MI. Growing up I was taught to be a quiet and polite black woman. I had to take persecution from men and I had to do what they said. I’m not someones servant, im not a maid. I’m going to be your Black Women President one day.
Awakened by 1967 Dreaming about 2067
William Barr Ann Arbor, MI
Black, white stripes? White, black stripes?
Marlee Sherrod, Canton, MI.
Adoption. Origin unknown. OK with that.
Cindy Droog, Grand Rapids, MI. Clearly, I am Caucasian. Beyond that, so many people aren’t comfortable with the “origin unknown” concept. They want to tell me that my extremely short stature, or reddened face, must indicate a certain heritage. They have a difficult time understanding that my heritage is not something I’ve sought to understand. […]
What music do you listen to?
Emma Williams Ann Arbor, MI
Watch me pay for this
James Henderson Houghton, MI I’m a black man. There is this stereotype, that all black people steal, so whenever we walk into a store we are followed around the store and or watched from a distance. I have money and don’t need to steal form anyone. Watch me pay for this.
Traveling closes doors on old stereotypes.
Brent Beard, Lansing, MI. For a broke college student, I’ve been lucky enough to see more of this world than many people ever will. I’ve discovered in my wanderings that you may meet a Thai bartender who you relate to more than your own relatives. You may have greater difficulties understanding the culture of a […]
Three race family and all American
Thomas Coke, Grand Rapids, MI.
A construction. A box. NOT ME!
Anonymous Ann Arbor, MI
“Hey, are you a doctor yet?”
Kevin Cai Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan
A foundation of strength never falling
Tushar Shetty, Ann Arbor, MI. On Location: University of Michigan
Being biracial makes me an edgewalker.
Anonymous Ann Arbor, MI The concept of being an “edgewalker” is from Nina Boyd Krebs–it means you can move between cultural traditions and cultural communities with some level of ease, comfort and enjoyment. Being raised in a Black/White family, we talked about and lived race/ethnicity/socio-economics/etc. daily. I know now that this is a blessing as […]
What would the neighbor’s think?
Dolly Szymanski Fort Wayne, IN Both of these quotes are things my mother heard or said. The second quote – My mother said to me when I wanted to invite some college friends to our home. Some of the friends were persons of color Grosse Pointe, MI in 1959.
Repent, Forgive, Grace, Heal, Pray, Repeat!
LaKeisha Vereen Ann Arbor, MI
Need to be better than someone
Larry Lawrence, Honor, MI.
I”m A Human Not An Alien
Alex Guebara, Holland, MI. #HollandNewTech
I, Woman Of Color Can Articulate
Epiphanie Malloy Inkster, MI This stereotypical notion that women of color,especially us in the African American community, are incapable of orating with yell, screaming, being “angry and black” has become accedingly old hat. The shock an awe I receive when I properly articulate my feelings, ideas and general statements/responses is far more annoying and frequent […]
Yes I’m Black no not biracial
David, Detroit, MI. To the cops, I am “white”. To many others I am “not” black. I don’t try to pass and I don’t try to compensate for it by “acting” black. I am very direct about these issues though. I am a black guy. How much more direct can I be? I’m not adopted. […]
Where you goin’, where you been?
Caitlin Grames Sterling Heights, MI Race, gender, heritage, and all other innate traits we are born with are only secondary to our life experiences. Our stories make us who we are as individuals. And you can’t capture a whole history with just “black”, or just “white”.
“You don’t act like a Mexican”
Danny Perez, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. I’ve been told many things because I come from a Mexican family. I have been told,” We can’t hang out anymore because my parents don’t like Mexicans.”, and “You can’t even speak spanish how are you mexican?”. In general I am treated okay, but […]
Jokes Can Be Just As Harmful
Skyla Gochenour, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. Every day there are supposed “jokes” batted back and forth between man every day. While many of these jokes are seemingly harmless, they can really hurt people. Especially people like me. Since I have lighter skin it is impossible to tell that I am […]
Skin doesn’t define the person’s race
Lisette Lazaro, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. When people see the color of someone skin they automatically go to an conclusion that are one specific race. For example, when they see a person with light brown skin they say the person is Mexican and when their skin is white they automatically […]
I am white, I’m not racist
Jaden Grigg, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. Because I am white, people believe I’m racist. But that’s not the case. In the news, it shows how white people (and police) are killing people who are not their race (mainly African-Americans). With all of this in the news, they automatically think that […]
“Mexicans Are Supposed To Like Meat”
Giselle Rojas, 8th Grade Holland New Tech High School, Holland, MI. I’m a Mexican vegetarian and I HATE meat. I became a vegetarian about 4 yrs ago due to a video that my cousin showed me on how they killed the animals to make our food, and I thought it was really sad so I […]
I’m not Iranian, I’m Puerto Rican
Darilis, Portland, OR. I moved from Puerto Rico to Michigan and people never knew what I was. Some thought I was Black, many thought I was mixed Black/White, and others thought I was Samoan. I recall one day I was at a store and a gentleman asked me if I was from Iran. I smiled […]
I was supposed to be white.
Brent A. Snavely, Paris, MI. I was raised by non-biological parents who had interviewed my white birthmother and had assumed my birthfather had also been white based on my birthmother’s general description of him.
Hundred dresses. All beautiful. All different.
Lesli Weston, Ann Arbor, MI. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes For more interesting conversation about Eleanor Estes and The Hundred Dresses visit: The Back Seat Book Club
Please don’t tell me that you’re colorblind.
B., Ann Arbor, MI. Understanding Race Project – University of Michigan It’s just another way of saying you’re racist. (What does it say about you, that you have to deliberately ignore an intrinsic part of my identity in order to see me as a human being?)
I’m Wendy. Expected to be white.
Wendy A. Merritt, Omaha, NE. I heard Jamaal’s story this morning on my way to work and could see the similarities as an African American woman with a “white” name. Not so much anymore, but as a child I was teased for talking and acting “white”, as well. After attending a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) […]
My kid’s names will be normal
Anonymous, Canton, MI. As a conscious black man in America, I’m aware of the institutional racism that still exist. I am an educator in the urban community and have seen some names that will hinder some of my students from getting picked out of the pile of resumes. I’m thankful my parents named my brother […]
Remove barriers by educating the young.
Ruth Volz, Mt. Pleasant, MI.
And that defines me why? *stereotypes*
Derek Martin, Adrian, MI.
Smile when you don’t like to.
Tim, Zeeland, MI. Some times i just think, “maybe if I smile they wont do any thing”, I feel so bad for even doing that. I should smile and be happy to smile, there people to so why don’t you smile at them like you do to your best friends. Think, what would you do […]
Wait, you’re black? Are you sure?
Madison Jones, Lansing, MI. As soon as someone finds out that I’m half-black, the one drop rule sets in and I become full black. Also, everyone feels the need to verify if I’m sure of my heritage and not just confused or something since I’m so light.
Your black friend’s approval isn’t law.
Rashad Brown, Detroit, MI.
Post racial society–dream not reality
Jennifer Woods, Okemos, MI. I am a 65 year old African American and am sick to death that in 2012 we are still, Still, STILL having this same tired conversation about race. That we still have to have “the talk” with our young men. That black people continue, decades after Dr. King’s dream, to be […]
We are lazy, we shouldn’t be.
Gil, Ann Arbor, MI. Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan I believe that discrimination and racist attitudes derives from human nature to be lazy. Because we humans are so lazy, we do not spend the effort and time to learn about the individual but instead, discriminate people by their skin color. This attitude is wrong, […]
Human? We have something in common.
Brandon Attala, Grand Rapids, MI. ‘Race’ is just a way to classify ourselves on a more individual level. In actuality, we are all made up of 99.9% of the same DNA, and I think that should take priority over the color of our skin or our place of birth or ancestry.
A construction, A box, NOT ME!
Anonymous Ann Arbor, MI
Stop seeing black boys as predators.
Sandra C. Seaton East Lansing, MI Listen to Sandra’s story from NPR’s Talk of the Nation
“Lock your car while driving downtown.”
Michelle Allen, Grand Rapids, MI. I took drivers education in the summer of 1997, during a time when my hometown (a predominantly conservative, Christian Dutch community) was starting to become more heterogeneous. This lesson about locking my doors while driving downtown was strongly emphasized by my (white male) drivers ed teachers. It wasn’t until finishing […]
Stuck on white guilt. What’s next?
Sarah Kerson Ann Arbor, MI
Most white college students don’t care
Gene Gruber, Houghton, MI. College students don’t seem to care about racial inequality, On campus, there is a lot of racial diversity but off campus is mostly dominated by white people. There is even a place where “the Asian people live.” Nobody ever seems to try to mingle outside of campus though. I wish there […]
Race is neutral….We are challenged
Dr. Larry Rowley Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan
Friendship, respect… but WE still have power
Anonymous, Ann Arbor, MI
Aren’t WE all a little racist?
Skyler MI I come from a small town that is heavily populated by Mexicans so I was never really exposed to other races like Caucasians, Blacks, Asians, or any other race besides Mexican. It was very rare to see any other race and if I did see other races it was when I would go […]
My Black is not your black.
LaVonda Staples, St. Louis, MI. I deserve the right and reserve the right to not follow a script designed to keep me in a role which does not and has never fit.
Black girl name, White girl speech
Terynee, East Lansing, MI. My name is Terynee, my sister’s names are Tyani and T’Asia. These are all names my mother thought to be creative and beautiful. I love my name and both my sisters names, but when people “Try” and pronounce it, it is repeatedly devoured. I get that it is different but sometimes […]
My ancestors do not define me.
R.M. Lutz, East Lansing, MI. My color does not define me. Why should being white make me feel guilty? I didn’t want slavery. I didn’t want Jim Crow. I didn’t ask to be born into a family that is upper middle class. But somehow, people blame me like it’s my fault. Like I wanted to […]
I am more than just white
Bridget Humphrey, East Lansing, MI.
My color shouldn’t determine my future!
Tyler Logan, East Lansing, MI. Don’t fall under the pressure of society telling you that because of your skin color your path has already been chosen for you. Make your own path and lead the way for others regardless of what color your skin is! Success is colorblind!
Try talking about race – anger explodes
Nell Kuhnmuench, East Lansing, MI. Not now – I am trying to learn each day without getting defensive.
Teasing Asians because they’re smart=DUMB
Lauren Dalecke-Sabandith, Holland, MI. About my whole life people teased me because I was Asian. I also hear people teasing other people to. People used to say “I’m smart because I’m Asian” and I told them it has nothing to do with being Asian, it is only my race. Asians aren’t born with a computer […]
I cant trust white people fully.
Mr.Jones, Kalamazoo, MI. I feel that its very hard to trust white people due the their past/present, global destructive and deceptive nature. I know all white people aren’t bad but I feel that I have to be on guard when around them. I still see negative qualities in them that my grandad talked about from […]
Sometimes I feel underprivileged being white
Allison McLeod, Houghton, MI. There are large amounts of organizations set up for assistance to minority groups, but the middle class white families often get left out.
It’s not racist, it’s segregated here.
Amanda Rae, Houghton, MI. I go to college in a very predominantly white city at the northern tip of Michigan. Here the student population is massively more diverse than the town around it. There are few black people but many Chinese and Indian students. There are no rules separating the different groups but we see […]
She gets to choose her identity
Felix Brooks Jr., Kalamazoo, MI As the father of a biracial child I told my daughter not to let anyone place a label on you. You get to choose for yourself . She took me up on that, and owned her own choice, and never struggled with who she was as a person .
You’re a tree in the forest.
Irene Li, East Lansing, MI. You’re not just a tree, you’re a tree in a forest. You are not a fish, but a fish in the ocean. You are not an individual person… but a person as part of a community. You have value as part of this beautiful network!
When do we become just American?
Rose Kathleen, MI.
I try but stereotypes still linger
Anastasia Rogers, Detroit, MI. I am a firm believer that everyone, no matter if you’re a man, woman, or something in between, black, white, Asian, or a different race, should be treated equally and with respect. That being said, I often find myself making snap, harsh judgments about people that I’ve never even had a […]
Half white and half a man
David Conti, Grand Rapids, MI. What makes being half Mexican and half white so much more difficult is that I look 100℅ white. Half my family thinks of me as the white boy on the wrong side of the border and the other half sees me as the half breed, a blemish on their otherwise […]
Your accent is …What are you?
Tn Nguyen, Grand Rapids, MI.
Stop using race as an excuse.
Gabrielle Hainley, Caledonia, MI. I understand that there is discrimination and racism in the United States. But, I also see many people of all races, ages and upbringing that use their race as an excuse to get away with things or as a way to make other people sound like people, when in fact, they […]
Do you love them the same?
Paige VandenBrink, Holland, MI. The worst question I have ever been asked is, “Do you love them the same?”. This was a question I was asked when I got a new adopted black cousin. I almost cried because I was too young to understand why anyone couldn’t love someone the same just because of a […]
All are created in God’s image.
Sharon Bandlow, Haslett, MI. I loved hearing you speak at The Wharton Center on the MSU campus. Best wishes with your project!
Highly educated black woman. …so what
Levaughn, Grand Blanc, MI. I’m a master social worker and received my accelerated advanced degree from a top ten university…MSU… I am an outpatient therapist and attained this job in less than a year from graduating. Which in my field is highly unlikely. I have worked very hard to go from poverty to the “American […]
Silence can be just as hurtful.
Sharon Lo, East Lansing, MI.
Race and fear shouldn’t be related.
Emily Jane, Saginaw, MI.
Asian does not equal Chinese
Anonymous, Kentwood, MI.
For God so loved the WORLD.
Kim Laforet, Lansing, MI. When you consider that we were all created in His image, it’s hard to hate a group of people that look different than you. Look beyond race and you will see individuals with unique cultures that should be celebrated and not denounced no matter what the race is……including the White race. […]
You’re not like other Black people
Anonymous, Lansing, MI. Was this meant to be a compliment? …it didn’t feel like a compliment.
Learning how to be an ally…finally
Alex, East Lansing, MI. I didn’t know all the ways in which I was privileged – I really didn’t. Now that I do, I am trying to learn how to use that privilege to break down the wall for others.
I can’t help but see color
Rome, Lansing, MI. When you say “I don’t see color” what you are saying to me is that my past and present experiences and who I am mean nothing to you.
Too blonde to be considered “ethnic”
Anonymous, Lansing, MI.
Black? White? Where are my Hispanics?
Janice Mendoza, East Lansing, MI. I moved to Michigan from Southern California in middle school. I was very shocked to find out that there were not many Latinos in my new area. I felt very out of place. I am current student at Michigan State. I loved the idea of diversity when I got accepted […]
I don’t Want to be White
Holly Richmond, East Lansing, MI. I uttered this statement of shame at 12. My Dad said “sorry,nothing you can do about it now so live with it”. My Mom said “behave so you give whitey a good name”. I’ve been trying ever since but I still don’t want to be white!!!!!!!
Black woman; my friend; role model.
Sharon Ross, Lansing, MI.
When tribes prevail, nothing good happens.
Mark Rudd, Laingsburg, MI.
No difference; people controlling or avoiding
David Ringlein, Lansing, MI. It’s really not about race; it’s about any way we can separate.
If not white, what am I?
Olivia Brenner, Haslett, MI.
We’re all different but it is okay
Margaret Levasseur, Grosse Pointe Park, MI.
Progressing but where’s the finish line?
Candace Ewing, Lansing, MI. As much as I would love to see race as a topic discussed sole to embrace differences (in a positive fashion) as opposed to still working on tearing them all apart (negatively,) I think the battle is one that will be fought for a very long time. We are moving closer […]
Likes to be asked about surname
Katherine, East Lansing, MI. My last name is very unique. It is a Croatian last name and my mother’s maiden name is Croatian as well. Whenever people ask me about it, it makes me happy because no matter how many times it is misspelled or mispronounced I realize that those aren’t things that matter. My […]
Neighbor says, “She doesn’t look black.”
Nicole Smeltekop, East Lansing, MI. At Michele Norris’s talk in East Lansing last night, a woman said this to me as Ms. Norris came on stage. The prevailing assumption that as a white person, white people can comfortably make racial comments they most likely wouldn’t say to anyone other than another “obviously” white person is […]
Obama isn’t black. He is bi-racial.
Dan Brown, DeWitt, MI. Michele, you can’t have it both ways. If, as you said last night, you view Obama as black (you said “of color”) then you won’t reach a “post racial” status. To say that he’s black leads us back to the “single drop of black blood” interpretation of race. Consider: If Obama […]
Racism in America: Just Undo It.
Fred Kester, East Lansing, MI. We may not be personally responsible for the injustices of the past, but we are still responsible for creating a society where there are opportunities for all and where justice prevails.
Guilty for not relearning the language
Zoë Johnson, East Lansing, MI.
But what is your Arabic name
Brian Batayeh East Lansing, MI
Fast track from slavery to prison
Tarah Zdunic, East Lansing, MI.
History that should not be forgotten
Hannah Warren, East Lansing, MI.
Not something to be afraid of
Adam, Grosse Ile, MI.
God made me and everyone else!
Debra Farmer, East Lansing, MI.
Discrimination will always be with us
Les 6, East Lansing, MI.
Cultures are inclusive. Racism is not.
David H Willis Jr., Lansing, MI. Culture is the collective shared belief system for a group of people. Different cultures can respect, value and grow by sharing. Racism occurs when this breaks down.
Lines exist only when we differentiate.
R. Lutz, MI. We will reach the point of true equality in this country when, rather than saying “I’m black” and “I’m white”, we recognize that we are all flawed people who make mistakes. This doesn’t mean we can’t recognize and celebrate our differences; we just need to focus on the fact that we are […]
Fear of change, differences, and unfamiliar.
Dawn Fleming, Lansing, MI.
Black America has Proven Me Wrong
Dave R. Oakland County, MI Black America has proven me wrong. When I was young and dumb, I believed racism was the realm of idiots and red-necks. As I have grown older, I see the culture of Black America is little more than a drain on society. They and them are words I never thought […]
“Woah! You don’t really sound black.”
Alizaye Manigo, Macomb, MI.
“White” but only on the outside.
Leah Grand Rapids, MI
No, I don’t sell coke, bro.
Norris Howard Detroit, MI Over 50 people in this bar and you approach the only group of black men and ask them a drug related question. You don’t even see your own ignorance.
Why do people fear black people
Julian Henderson Holland, MI
No Human Being Is Born Racist.
Aidan O’Connor Grand Rapids, MI People can be raised up to be rasist but no one starts their life doing it. Rasism is not even a thing when you are born, you don’t even know what it is. Being racist is a choice you make. If you chose to be racist it is the wrong […]
Adopted parents, who the hell knows?
Haley B Grand Rapids, MI My parents are adopted. I am a mutt. Both of my parents are darker complected with strong features that I wish I would have inherited as I am pale, blonde and blue eyed; so I get labeled “white.” When I look at the world around me, I see the variety […]
But I think you look white??
Angelo Saxon Grand Rapids, MI People often mistake me for white because of my light skin. I identify, however, as an Arab, due to my Lebanese ancestry, of which I hold near and dear to my heart. The reclassification of Arabs as “white” by the government in the early 1900’s means that I have to […]
Dark Skin does not equal ugly.
Kiwana Johnston Detroit, MI One of the things I’ve hated hearing the most is, “I didn’t know dark skinned people could be pretty until I met you”. It is a double sided insult that smells of self-hatred when expressed by other black people & cruel ignorance when expressed by other races. It’s as if people […]
Inclusive, outsider, owner, leverage, advantage, introspective
Adrian Ohmer Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan Law
There is no risk in rightness
Maggie Kanakri Grosse Point Woods, MI
He thought I shouldn’t be there.
Danielle Hayden Detroit, MI My freshman year of college, a boy at orientation (with whom I had only recently become acquainted told me that the only reason I had gotten into the University of Michigan was because of Affirmative Action. This wounded me deeply, and I became obsessed with proving to everyone how intelligent I […]
Our legacy is students, not law
Martha S. Jones Ann Arbor, MI Submitted via Twitter: @marthasjonesUM
Unidentified as gifted, left to languish.
Jenifer Daniels Charlotte, NC As child, I was labeled ‘talkative’ and a ‘trouble maker’…when all along I was really gifted and left to languish.
Why is being white so bad?
Tiffany Kosakowski Grand Rapids, MI I feel like I am constantly walking on egg shells because I am white. I have to be careful how I joke, who I like or dislike, even places I go. It is getting a little tiresome to hear people accuse white people of being racist because they do not […]
Why do you look like Casper?
Melanie Lindgren Grand Rapids, MI I was living in Florida for about four years. Most of the girls I met down there were rich, spoiled, tan, beautiful girls. My grandparents came here from Latvia towards the end of World War 2 and as such, I have blonde hair and extremely pale skin. I would always […]
I enjoy being a grab bag.
Melissa Holland, MI I was adopted at three days old and know nothing of my biological heritage. I enjoy feeling as if I’m a mixture of many different ethnicities.
Born with love taught with hate.
Walter Belbot Comstock Park, MI
“I’m white” doesn’t mean, “I’m Racist”.
Maria Grand Rapids, MI I am an American “mutt” with white skin and German/Irish descent. People all of the time assume that just because my skin is white, that I have a bias for white people and a negative stigma against people of other races. That could not be further from the truth.
Ginger? Sorry, I Don’t Speak Ignorance.
Azalea Grand Rapids, MI I’ve made fun of my entire life for my pale skin and red hair. It’s honestly really annoying and once the whole “ginger” thing is brought up I no longer want to talk to that person anymore because it represents their ignorance and the fact that they can’t just accept that […]
I’m white, but from the ghetto.
Ellie Couch Kentwood, MI
We, variations on a theme, gods
Carolyn Rockafelow Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project- University of Michigan
I’m not their nanny, I’m Mom
Michele Ypsilanti, MI My darling boys are Chinese and Black but look more racially non-specific; even while I lived in northern CA, what people think of as some sort of center of tolerance, people constantly assumed that since I was Black I was their nanny. Even though they are older now, I still get surprised […]
I am not white; I’m American
Brandon Peplau Grand Rapids, MI I am not white; I am American! I have Chippewa, Syrian, German, and Austrian blood in my veins. The only members of my family living in America during slavery were natives here. If you have a problem with white people, leave me out of it.
White-trash, hillbilly, ghetto, inner-city
Craig, Lansing, MI.
I’m closer to pink than white.
Hailey Dodge Grand Rapids, MI Everywhere I go I am always being called white-girl all the time. But the truth of it is that I am not white I don’t blend in with the snow, flour shows up on my skin, and I have blood running through my veins. And to be honest the color […]
You’re too pretty to be black.
Brandi N. Scarlett, Lansing, MI. When people ask me what ethnicity I am, I get excited. I am so proud to be mixed race. My mother is white and First Nations, and my father is Jamaican. However, I always make sure to tell people no matter WHAT I am, I identify as being black. I […]
Always under scrutiny; proving myself constantly.
Markeisha Miner Detroit, MI
Black, beautiful, natural… Embraced my difference
Tien-Cheri Ellis Grand Rapids, MI
All people exeriencing life’s struggles together.
Janet Anderson-Davis West Bloomfield, MI University of Michigan Law We need to place less emphasis on race and more on commonality: overcoming daily life challenges with grace.
Conscious and unconscious influence in America
Glenn Oliver Detroit, MI University of Michigan Law We have to figure out how to create a society where people are comfortable living and working around people of all races.
Weary advocate ignored achiever hindered opportunity
James N. Humphries Canton, MI University of Michigan Law NO.
Construct predictive opportunity healing equal equity
Daniel Varner Detroit, MI The University of Michigan Law
Initially rather tense, but ultimately positive.
Jerome R. Watson Detroit, MI University of Michigan Law
Near constant reminders of my uniqueness.
Lisa Martin Belleville, MI University Of Michigan Law
I’m white but I have struggles
Adam Vanden Berg Byron Center, MI Just because I white does not mean that I haven’t had hard times in life. In the media it is portrayed that all white people have nice houses and nice stuff, but we still have struggles in life.
Why you white folks so scared?
Rah-Maat Ali Grand Rapids, MI Being that a large group of black people never unjustly attacked white people for being white, why are you so afraid of us? Is it a guilty conscious?
Knowledgeable about rap, but I’m white.
Bryce Leveille Grand Rapids, MI The genre of music you listen too does not or should not tell what race or ethnic background you have came from. All genres of music is for everybody, there’s no specific race it’s made for.
I’m not that good at math.
Derrick Busman Grand Rapids, MI Being an Asian, living amongst primarily white individuals, I tend to receive a lot of racism. One of the most common things, is the assumption that all Asians excel at math or scholastic studies in general.
Which race box do I check?
Holly Thompson Grand Rapids, MI I am half Puerto-Rican and half Scottish, but definitely all people see is “white.” I am constantly struggling with pride of my Latina heritage, guilt of my inherent white privilege, and guilt of ignoring half of who I am. I hate documents that ask for your race. Do I put […]
Political correctness entombs truly meaningful conversation
Kate K Grand Rapids, MI
Small town doesn’t equate small mind.
Jenny Grant, MI Even though my exposure to the outside world is limited, I choose to see others the way I hope they see me: I think; I dream; I hope; I laugh; I love; I am human.
Culture. Confusion. Division. Wisdom. Journey. Responsibility
Jesse Katch, MI
This one a slaveowner in Barbados
Margaret Condon Taylor Ann Arbor, MI My mother and her sister visited me decades ago when they were researching their ancestry. My mother orally provided me with one sentence summaries of some of these ancestors. Sentences included this one scalped by Indians (in Herkimer County, NY), and this one — an epileptic– crushed to death […]
The dark skin woman is next
Ruth Roseville, MI Why can’t I just be the woman who is next, or next please?
A white minority during my youth.
Jean Millard Milford, MI I wanted to be part of the black culture around me because I could see the tight family ties they had. I was bullied by the kids I wanted to connect with. I remember when the first black family moved into the neighborhood. I was shocked by the comments I heard […]
Have been called a white n*****
David T. Hill Jr. Flint, MI Stuck in the middle.
My Hair is NAPPY and HAPPY
Cynthia Detroit, MI Growing into my African heritage in America, I love to wear my hair how it naturally grows. I get the stares of disapproval but we all must remember i’m not here for your approval. Please, ask before you touch.
1 reason I came to America
Anonymous Ann Arbor, MI
Different colors, same on the inside
Nathan S Detroit, MI With all of the talk of racial tensions in the US today, it is important to remember that the only difference between the commonly accepted races is skin color and, sometimes, facial features. Beyond that, people are all largely the same. Studies have been made showing that the vast majority of […]
I avoid people that are different.
Jill Noeh Ann Arbor, MI Understanding Race Project-The University of Michigan Explanation: I’ve found that throughout my life, I have avoided people who look and act differently than me. I grew up in a white neighborhood that was sheltered from people who were different. At first it wasn’t me purposefully trying to avoid these people, […]
Indian-Italian: more similarities than differences.
Valerie Sathe Brugeman MI
Washtenaw students use The Race Card Project to confront bullying
Powerful words from a high school student—shared during the second annual Youth Diversity Forum with a room full of Washtenaw County high schoolers—helped set the tone for a day-long discussion Friday at Eastern Michigan University.
About 200 students and teachers from every public school district in Washtenaw County attended the forum, held at EMU’s College of Business in downtown Ypsilanti.
High school students participate in a social identity exercise at the second annual Youth Diversity Forum at Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business in Ypsilanti.
News Flash People, Race isn’t real
Tim Daugherty Mount Pleasant, MI I think it’s time to stop using the word race to describe ethnic heritage. NPR should spearhead this movement away from a word that (no longer) doesn’t have any real meaning. This is just one of hundreds of papers published since the human genome mapping was completed. We are truly […]
Plain ol’ white. No I’m not.
Quinn Woods Detroit, MI It’s always bugged me, that when it comes to filling out “race” on things such as applications, the only thing that applies to me is “white”. Others get to check their origin. African american, Asian, American Indian, Hispanic, Hawaiian Island or White. I’m not just white, I’m half Polish, a quarter […]
Police? I’m white. Scholarship? I’m black.
Hassan Hodges Ann Arbor, MI
Jackson and Sharpton are a roadblock.
Len Williams Kalamazoo, MI I have not heard these guys say much, if ANYTHING about young black males killing other young black males. Nor have I heard them say much, if ANYTHING about black males killing non black males. Are these problems somehow less important than when a white person kills a black person? It […]
You’re pretty for a dark-skinned girl.
Taesha Detroit, MI I think almost every dark-skinned black girl goes through a phase (that hopefully she grows out of) where she doesn’t believe she is beautiful in this ideally white society. But what can you expect when she is emerged in a society that constantly bombards her with the ideology “the lighter the better?” […]
We walked down the hallway together.
Mary (Long) Chamberlain Delton, MI It was the 60’s and there were riots off and on everywhere. My friend and I (black and white) walked down the hallway at school together. We never talked about doing it or discussed it; we just did it. It felt right.
She’s pretty for a black woman.
Mary Detroit, MI My dad was born in 1906 and would say this about perhaps the first black female anchor on a Detroit TV station; I can’t remember her name. I hope I replied “why can’t you just say she’s pretty?”
Race, embrace it; racism, erase it.
Eric Isham Onondaga, MI
You’re Brown. You’re Orange. First contact.
Steve Keating Canton, MI When I was three I saw my across-the-stree neighbor for the first time. He was black and I greew up in a very predominantly white area. I called across the street to him: “you’re brown!” Kids are, after all, very literal and I was stating what I thought to be obvious […]
Faces of TRCP
Peabody Award
Recent Race Cards
In The News
SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL
