Leaving Racism in 2020!!

I was born in 1997. Which makes me only 23! When I was about 4 or 5 I lived in a small town called Loreauville (sounds like ->Lor-Veel) Louisiana. I had friends of all colors at school. Mostly whites because the town was filled with mostly white people.

My parents,6 siblings and I lived in a trailer park my grandparents owned. There was this big hill that divided our trailer park from another trailer park. It was where mostly white people lived. My white friends that lived there would come over to my house in the yard and we would play.

My parents would never let me go to there house, Ever! One day I asked my dad “why can’t I ever go by my friends house?” He told me “They are white children and you are BLACK!” I kind of forgot to mention my dad wasn’t the best parent haha. He was super blunt about it. He explained to me how things are not how they’re supposed to be. One day, I snuck to one of my white friends’ house. We were playing in the back yard. Her grandpa came outside yelling at me to get away and telling his granddaughter to “ get away from that monkey!” I ran home and cried to my dad. That day I understood.

I’d watch when we’d go to the grocery store and the white old men working the cash register would wait for my parents to put their money on the counter because they wouldn’t take it from their hands. When giving change back, they’d drop it on the counter. Leaving the store, there was a door man opening doors for people. White people. We’d have to open it for ourselves.

Whenever I was at school things were different. There was no hate. All the children played together and got along. My first crush was a white boy and I was his first crush as well. I remember seeing him inside of a store. He was with his dad and I was with my parents. Soon as we made eye contact we ran toward each other. Gave each other a big hug. Our parents were so upset. They snatched us apart and his dad drug him out of the store. My dad was upset with me as well. Such a sad place to live back then.

Children are not born racist. It is something that is taught. My dad would tell me to get black friends all the time. I’m sure some white children were told the same thing by their parents. So, to know in 2020, there were still racist people. I’m baffled! I’m upset! Not only white people are racist either. People have this misconception that only white people are racist and I know first hand how racist my black people can be. It’s seriously disgusting.

You are so bothered by someone’s skin color? Really? Come on AMERICA! Do not let something so small divide us! Teach your children! Show them what we adults can do. Leave it in 2020! Leave hate, leave racism, leave it all in 2020! Let’s show our ancestors we are better than hate! We need to pray as a nation!

I pray my children won’t have to experience any form of racism. 2020 was full of it. It wasn’t that long ago it all “ended”. I wish and pray that this nation can come together as one. We all need to pray as one. Don’t let the color of someone’s skin dictate how you feel about them. New Year, New Us right? Let’s end racism once and for all. Good bye 2020. #leavitin2020