I am not My Skin

I was very blessed to grow up in a home, in a community, and in a country where people from all races and socioeconomic status were respected and people were not usually judged by the color of their skin. In my home I never heard my parents talking negatively about any race of people. It was my understanding from a very young age that people did good or bad things based on the choices they make in life. I attended high school with children from different races and the teachers in my school were Blacks and Caucasians. I grew up with a strong belief that people from any race could choose to do good things or bad things; therefore, it was shocking to me to learn later in life that there are people in the world who expect people from certain races to only choose to do bad things.

Despite the many evidences in society that people from any race can choose to do good or bad there are negative stereotypes in society that point at specific races. I strongly believe that people who believe that only people from a certain race make bad decisions in life are in the minority. I have worked and still work with some amazing people from different races. I have attended college with with some of the best people from different races. I have had excellent teachers and classmates from my race and other races. I have great neighbors from different races, so there are "good people" and "bad people" from all races.

Recently, I was reminded of the small number of people who still judge people by the color of their skin. In two separate incidents I went to provide care for two people and as I entered the room each person took his or her cellphone up from the table, and one person asked another person in the room to place the cellphone on a windowsill and the other person place the cellphone in a pocket. You may say that these incidences are coincidences, but I do not believe so. I believe these two people belong to the minute number of people who choose to judge people by the color of their skin and to use negative stereotypes in society to justify their actions. Before these incidents my mother and I got off a bus and were walking on the sidewalk to get to our house and an elderly woman from another race started to run the minute she turned around and saw us. In all three incidents the people who judged me unfairly were not known to me, and I an certain that it was the first time they had seen me when they chose to use negative stereotype to judge me. It is very unfortunate that these incidents still happen today.

By expressing myself on this blog I just want others to know that I am not my skin. My skin is just the surface area of the body that I live in. I have a brain that gives me the capacity to choose either good or bad and I have made a conscious decision with the help of God to choose good on a daily basis. All people from all races are bombarded with good and bad on a daily basis and fortunately for the world most people choose to do good.

I must say that when those people acted in the manner that they did when they saw me I just quickly reminded myself of who I am and did not make the incidents bother me while working; however, while at home the next day I recalled the incidents and I cried a little because it hurts but I do not dwell on this hurt and I have already let it go and I have forgiven those people for judging me unfairly.

I am so glad that I know who I am. I am a child of God and I was "fearfully and wonderfully made." I am a honest, hardworking, kind, compassionate, and friendly person. I love people from all races and I have dedicated my life to serve people from all races. I feel a certain joy in my life when I am able to help others and I will not allow anyone to take that joy from me.

I leave you with the words form this song:"I Am Not My Hair" By India Aire

My friends let no one define you by the color of your skin or any other outward features because you were "fearfully and wonderfully" made by God and you were place here for a reason, so do not allow anyone or anything to hinder you from living out your purpose on earth.

Be Blessed,

Joy