“The first time I recognized somebody doing something racist towards me was when I was 15 or 16 years old. I was on a camp out for my church. Me and my brother, we were the only Black people there and we were in this really small country town. We were looking for firewood because it was super cold, and us four young men were just looking around the store, playing around like young men do, but nothing serious. And then we left, and went out to the car and this older white man came out and specifically asked me and my brother if we stole something. And I think that was the first time I recognized what was happening. Why were we singled out when we were all there together? What was the difference? That was the first time that I recognized that racism was real. From there I really started to be more aware of things happening on a daily basis. So that’s one of the experiences that was the most profound, not because of what happened but because it was one of the first things that ever happened. 

“I think the way it connects me to [my ancestors] is just the continual fight. So many Black people over time have died trying to become equal. Starting in 1619 when the first slaves came to America, up till today, millions of black people have fought and truly yearned to be free. And as I join in that same fight of equality and equity, making everybody have the same opportunities in every aspect of life, you can kind of feel that motivation to keep going. When I look around and I notice all the people, how much racism and injustice there is, it gets overwhelming but then you realize, hey, 60 years ago somebody else was fighting this same fight. And so it’s a motivation just to never stop, because if we were to stop then its all going to be lost.”