“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 with my church. My brother and I 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 local store, playing around like young men do, but nothing serious. And then we left and went out to the car. 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 to me directly." -Sebastian
“When I first moved here, I actually had someone say something racist to me and I didn’t even know it was racist. I had to go ask my mom about it and I didn’t understand why she was upset. Then she had to sit down with me and explain that not everyone will like me throughout my life because of my skin tone. And that was really hard for me to understand because why does that matter? We’re all the same." -Genusis
“Unfortunately, where I come from in Indiana we had a murder on my street. A cop did kill a Black man by the name of Dreasjean Reed More unfortunately I was there to witness it. And that’s something that I have to deal with. But it pushed me and the members of my community to come together and talk and communicate. To just understand and learn how to love each other. This year I’m just so proud of everyone―for all the allies, all the people of color who have been so strong through everything that this year has thrown at us. Especially the people of color in predominantly white areas. They’re the strongest out there and I admire everything that they’re doing.
“When Dreasjean was killed, I had to explain to my younger cousins, who were five and three, why I was protesting and what was going on. I had to explain to them that since they look as they do, they are at a higher risk of getting killed. They are also Black and their father is Black, and I had to explain that that could also happen to their father. I never want to explain that ever again to another child! It was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. My hope for my children is that I will never have to explain to them why I’m protesting and the fact that they could get killed at any moment because they’re Black." -Tendala
“When Dreasjean was killed, I had to explain to my younger cousins, who were five and three, why I was protesting and what was going on. I had to explain to them that since they look as they do, they are at a higher risk of getting killed. They are also Black and their father is Black, and I had to explain that that could also happen to their father. I never want to explain that ever again to another child! It was the worst thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. My hope for my children is that I will never have to explain to them why I’m protesting and the fact that they could get killed at any moment because they’re Black." -Tendala
