Shaniah Bartlett,
Burlington, VT.
I feel that on my college campus, I am not invited to speak out when it comes to race. Sure, they have the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, but I only see one race in the office. We have plenty of diversity events on campus, and I have attended several. I tried to speak up for myself, in a room where I was actually the minority. I felt targeted and shut down, not even listened to. Let’s remind each other that EVERYONE goes through some sort of hate, or struggle. Each life story is their own, not to be compared or made less of. I was told, “white girls are like ‘I’m just gonna go to my ski house this weekend'” Hello, a child from a single mother with four children who raised them by herself while maintaining a full time job. We didn’t have a ski house. We are thankful for what we do have, and that is an open mind. Get rid of the stigma of being proud of your race, even if it is a majority. Everyone deserves self respect and love. End the hate against each other, please.
