Salinas Archives - The Race Card Project

Cleaning myself to look like her

November 4, 2021November 4, 2021 African American, baby sitter, CA, cleaning, first experience, look like, Matthew Garcia, rub, Salinas, scratch, Team Pick

Matthew Garcia,
Salinas, CA.

I’m African-American, my mother would have my stay at my baby sitters house after school while she was working. One day my mom picked me up from my baby sitters house but before we left my mom and the babysitter were having conversation. I was playing in the living room when i noticed how different my mom (Black) and baby sitter (White) were in terms of color. I the didn’t understand why our color was different and I guess it never mattered to me anyways but anyways I started to scratch myself and rub myself harshly. My mom and baby sitter noticed and mom asked “Son what are you doing?” I replied, “Im cleaning myself to look like her.” *points at baby sitter.* Both laugh, it was my first experience and conscious thought on how different we seemed to be in color.

Gringo, you can’t teach my child!!

June 11, 2019June 11, 2019 CA, child, gringo, Salinas, teach, William B. Cogswell

William B. Cogswell,
Salinas, CA.

Yes, Brown is beautiful and worthy

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 beautiful, beauty, brown, brown eyes, CA, community, criminal, Gilberto Tapia Jr, Hispanic, label, Latino, Salinas, skin color, stereotype, worthy

Gilberto Tapia Jr,
Salinas, CA.

I grew up within a mostly Hispanic/Latino community. I remember growing up, others would keep their distance because of my skin color as if it automatically made me some type of criminal. The media portrays beauty as being light skinned with blue eyes, but I would not change my skin tone or brown eyes for anything. Much Love!