I sit in my kindergarten class. The teacher explains we are going to learn about racism. The room is going to be split into blacks only and whites only. The teacher assigns a race to every student. She intentionally makes best friends to be opposite colors. In the morning, I was to be “white” while my best friend was to be “black”.
The rules for the game were such. Whites could only play with whites. Blacks could only play with blacks. Whites got to go outside first for recess. Whites got to go to the drinking fountain first.
I was terribly heart-broken to be separated from my friend. At recess, I slowly made my way outside so I could talk to my “black” friend when she was dismissed for recess. At the drinking fountain, I waited to be the last “white” person in line so I could talk to the “black” students behind me.
After lunch, the roles were reversed. All “white” students were assigned to be “black” and all “black” students were to become “white”.
I was now “black” and my best friend was now “white”. My friend decided she could not talk to me or play with me because I was “black”. As soon as she was dismissed for recess, she hurried outside. She did not wait for me. At the drinking fountain, she rushed to get in line. She never looked to see where I was. She refused to talk to me.
I was absolutely crushed by this whole experience. I could never have imagined how quickly hate could arise simply due to a teacher assigning skin colors to students. These were just imaginary labels.
In the real world, labels regarding someone’s race, ethnicity and faith abound. And perhaps that is why I am always sensitive to those around me. Anyone from a different country or a different background, I try to show respect and value our differences. It is easy to segregate into our own communities, but to stand together as one people, that takes real patience and understanding.
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