Originally published on cep.org
As far back as I can remember, racial constructions have been a part of my reality and lived experience. From my mom telling me that I had to work ten times harder than my white counterparts to be successful, to growing up in under-resourced neighborhoods of color where heavy police presence is normalized, I was confronted with race.
Further, whether it was my high school guidance counselor telling me, You look like you run fast … join the military … don’t apply to college; “random” DWB (driving while Black) police stops; or being referred to as an “uppity [n-word]” in the workplace, I have always been fully aware that perceptions of race impact life prospects and outcomes for many people of color...