what am I Archives - The Race Card Project

I Forget I Am Not White

January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 adopted, CA, Catholics, Dougherty, jews, Mormons, nurse, Outside USA, Protestants, TX, what am I, what are you

Dougherty,
Outside USA.

I was adopted. My Dad is Irish, raised in Texas and then California. Mom is a retired nurse. I was raised around Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, and Jews. My friends in elementary school were white. Race was never an issue. Or if it was, I have long since forgot about it. I even speak with a slight southern draw if you listen carefully. You can thank dad for that. Even in the mirror, all I saw was me. Wide curious eyes, and awkward smile, and a few scars from some cystic acne. It’s gone now. All I saw was a person, and that is how I saw everyone else; as people. Do you see people like I do? Or are you still wondering what race I am?

Well How Black Am I Really?

December 22, 2020December 22, 2020 Aurora, Carnesia, classroom, CO, compliment, educator, glasses, how black, rap music, stereotypes, students, too black, well mannered, what am I, what does it mean

Carnesia,
Aurora, CO.

As far back as I can remember I’ve always been told by past educators that I am very “well mannered” unlike the other students in my classroom who were all Black. At the time, I saw this as a wonderful compliment. I wasn’t loud or disruptive like the others. I didn’t play loud rap music and flail about wildly when my song came on, I was well-mannered me with crooked my purple framed glasses nose deep in a book of many chapters and not one picture to be seen. As time dragged on I began to question if I were Black. What does it mean to be Black?

What am I? I am HUMAN

May 7, 2018May 7, 2018 DC, human, Lynn Orosco, Washington, what am I

Lynn Orosco,
Washington, DC.

If not white, what am I?

September 18, 2014 Haslett, MI, Olivia Brenner, what am I, white

Olivia Brenner,
Haslett, MI.

What am I? Dirty but clean

July 8, 2014 blood, Clarksville, clean, complexion, dirty, English, German, hometown, olive, PA, R. E. Longdon, settler, skin, what am I

R. E. Longdon
Clarksville, PA

My family complexion has always been called dirty or ruddy. My ancestors came from Europe through England but family folklore has much more than English in our history. Our family always classified as white but we stood out in our hometown to the point our “dirtyness” was speculated by some as maybe we had native blood in our family or some other race. My wife and i have researched my family tree and find no other parts than European in our bloodline.but yet the family’s descendents are more of what would be called light olive skinned than the traditional white of English and German settlers.