“Wait so you’re black AND white?” “Does that mean you support the police?” “Are you allowed to say the N-word?” “Do you have white privilege?” These are questions that are asked of me frequently. I am expected to be or act a certain way so that I am not “too black” or “too white.”

Do I have privilege because of my lighter skin tone? Absolutely. Have I still been called racial slurs even though I am half white? Absolutely.

Seeing how divided the world is right now between black and white people has confused every cell in my body. Half of my family is black and the other half is white. So where does that put me or any other person who is half black half white?

I go out with my black cousins and I get stared at because of my lighter complexion. I go out with my white cousins and get stared at because of my darker complexion.

Sadly, staying out of politics and world issues is my safest bet for now. People are hating people more and more because of their skin tone.

There are now two sides of the world which you could stand with. You are either with the white side or you are with the black side. So where exactly does a ‘tan’ girl with curly hair stand? Do I stand with my mom’s side of the family, or my dad’s? I have one opinion only about everything that is happening in this world right now. About racism, killings, protests, and politics. We shouldn’t have to pick sides to stand with…  We should all stand together. 

     “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Junior