By ISABEL NUÑEZ
Sheridan High School Student
The Sheridan Student Column is brought to readers by Sheridan High School’s 10th grade English class, taught by Abby Williams.
On May 25, 2020, Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. This political standpoint changed the perspective of many human aspects on police brutality and racism. As a result, protests began to globally spread around the world, causing people to riot. This left police departments to make a change.
In effect, racism was talked about more than it ever had been in the media. As a minority, it was hard to see the problems we must face on a day-to-day basis now being talked about.
Growing up in a school largely populated by white people, there were many challenges I had to face on my own. Getting made fun of for being a person of color was something I had gotten used to over the years. It was also a part of my growth as a person. I had to learn that I wouldn’t get as many opportunities as other people, and I would have to work 10 times harder than most. Many people who go to my school grew up not knowing what it’s like to not be privileged, such as going to school with no one who looks like you, going to stores, walking anywhere alone, being accused of more trouble, any encounter with the police, and being made fun of not only for the color of my skin but the way I look and the way I act.
When I experienced my first encounter with racism, I thought it was normal. It disappoints me that I thought all the nasty, cruel words said over the years were normal and okay. Not only did I think it was okay, but the people in my school made it okay for these issues to occur.
One thing that is normally never talked about in school is racism. Yes, we talk about slavery, equal rights, and how it affected our race long-term, but we don’t talk about how racism affects us in modern-day society. The surge of the Black Lives Matter Movement for racial justice gives us an opportunity to push efforts into systematic changes in our education systems. If you go to a school largely populated by white people, it’s hard to feel like you belong somewhere. That was my problem for years. It was so hard to feel like I belonged. My whole life I had wanted friends of color because it’s a struggle not feeling like you have anyone who relates to the same racist experiences you’ve endured. I wish all schools were more diverse.
I am very passionate about diversity. Diversity widens viewpoints and takes different ideas and aspects into account. Diversity is what drives creativity and innovation. It’s important to hear other people’s perspectives on the way they view situations and the way they think. It’s equally important to understand and respect other people’s cultural backgrounds and religions.
Culture is something that defines many of us, including me. Culture is reflected in our history, in our heritage, and in how we express ideas and creativity. When I visit my family, I always get to see more of my culture. For me, it’s so important to be able to be a part of my culture because without it you lose yourself and your identity. Diversity is what makes us, us.
We are struggling to make ends meet in a system set up for our race to fail. Achieving racial equity is something very important for not only me, but for our society and our culture. The goal is not to just eliminate the gap between white people and people of color but to increase the success for all groups.
You can’t love the culture and not support the people.