I worry that I will have to one day comfort their parents or that these boys may grow up without their father. I worry that my Black nephews will not grow up with the innocence and inherent protection my children have access to. Also recognize that lived experience can be equally or more valuable than formal education.Įvery single day I worry about my non-white friends and family members, many of whom are Black.
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Talk to your children or the children in your life about race and the beauty that each of us represents.and examine the colonizer mentalities that we have exposure to every day. Call out racist language such as negrito, prieto etc. Talk about colorism within our own families.Actively seek out resources to further one’s own understanding and biases, we all have them.Push your local police department to adopt 8 can’t wait principles.If we are not actively using our privilege, whatever level of privilege that might be, to dismantle the racist systems that exist we are not doing enough. It is not enough to not be racist we must be anti-racist and there is a big distinction between the two. This process starts with self reflection and understanding of one’s own biases. Our humanity is interconnected and our success as a whole depends on each other’s individual success. Just as I call on my white allies to join in the struggle for systemic justice for BIPOC children and families, I am asking all non-Black Latinos to engage in the struggle for justice for our Black and Afro-Latinx brothers and sisters. Even when our highest court ruled that our education system could no longer be separate but equal, one can look at our school houses today and ask if anything has really changed. Even when we have seen “progress” from slavery to the Jim Crow era, to redlining, to the school to prison pipeline, new systems are established to continue to hold down those who are not white. History has shown us that even when protests are peaceful, lives continue to be discarded as if they don’t matter. It’s reflected in the narratives that blame violence or “riots” as the reason that messages aren’t being heard by some. It’s reflected in the return to normalcy for many after weeks of protests. Even while this country addresses the issues of police brutality and systemic racism, I fear that for many it is easier to continue to turn a blind eye. Yet, I’m concerned that many of us white or white-presenting people still don’t understand the full extent of what Black and Afro-Latinx people have to endure because our education is whitewashed and the media only occasionally turns its attention to racial inequality. The rest of our white-presenting team was able to step in and deescalate the situation, but I wonder what would have happened had she not been with us.Įvery day, and for centuries, across this country, encounters such as this one devolve into tragic stories that the nation is just now awakening to. My colleague’s face showed a terror I have personally never experienced. As she ran across the street, a police officer immediately yelled at her. One of my teammates a- Black woman – was far enough away from our group that she looked like she was alone. I recall a scavenger hunt with my coworkers a few years back when my team jaywalked across the street to save a few seconds and get ahead of the competition. I’ve witnessed firsthand how a seemingly inocuos encounter can quickly turn tense and traumatic. I do, however, worry about the many black and Afro-Latinx people who live in fear every day. The issue of systemic racism and police brutality is not an issue I will ever have to warn them about for their own safety. I don’t fear for the life of my children who are also white-presenting Latinos. Yet, even though the people closest to me have faced this, I don’t fear for my life during interactions with police. My parents – also visibly non-white – have. I have never felt a police officer was going to hurt me or not believe me if I approach them. I have never been thrown on the ground and handcuffed because I “fit a description.” My brothers – who are visibly non-white – have. They may judge me in some ways, asking why my skin is so white, or why I don’t have an accent when I speak English, but I am never treated as a physical threat. I have had countless people tell me that I don’t look Latina. While I have experienced racism and discrimination, I have never feared for my life because of the way I look.
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I am a Latina - specifically a white-presenting Latina.