White women kill for that color.
Kavita Charleston, SC As an Indian-American woman working in agriculture, I used to frequently get some variation of this comment when I sold at farmers’...
Race is a broken classification matrix.
Rob Bockman, Columbia, SC. Neutrally, “race” is a series of classifications designed to serve as a shortcut. Realistically, it’s a way to ignore, drown out,...
I am not your token Mexican-American
Angie Estrada, Columbia, SC. I have been struggling with my sister-in-law seemingly using me as her token Mexican-American “friend”. She parades me among her white...
I really hate the word “white”.
Anna, Columbia, SC. I know I have “white” skin, but I really hate that word. I don’t think about myself as “white”. I am Italian...
Last Jim Crow Generation In Charge!
Cleo Brown, SC. I and others in our late 50s and up are members of the last generation of children to grow up under...
Where are you from? From America?
Alene Brothers, Greenwood, SC. Two of the most common questions I hear are “where are you from” and “what are you?” People see dark tan...
Are both your parents from Cuba?
Barbara Rodriguez, Florence, SC. Yes, they both are Cuban. The look of shock never ceases to amaze me. Is it because I’m blonde and have...
I think diversity enriches us all.
Robin McCants, Columbia, SC. Born in 1962, I have seen some change in attitudes toward race in my 52 years on this earth. This generation...
Why do we say “black person”?
Allison Askins, Columbia, SC. Too often, we as white people will differentiate a black person in a description of something we have observed, but we...
Why are my black students failing?
Josh Staveley-O’Carroll, Natick, MA. I teach at the college level (in Massachusetts, Virginia, South Carolina, and Washington, DC) and consistently my black students are in...
Generations: slaves, maids, marching, why?, what?
Louise S. Malone, Albuquerque, NM. My family were originally slave owners in South Carolina. I watch the point of view change with each generation.
Kill racism before it kills me
Gelila Selassie, Charleston, SC. I pray that my hometown will stop racism before it results in body bags.
Stop following me I’m not stealing
Marcus, Greenville, SC. I don’t know how many stores I have walked out of because of being followed instead of receiving customer service.
My color does not define me!
Tena Thompson, Hilton Head, SC. We need to start our individual conversations about race and life issues within our centers of influence.
