Why Don’t You See Me?

I do not belong to any particular group
I do not belong… I don’t belong to you
I am not of your race
I can be described by
My hair,
My clothes,
My habits, and my face
I will not stand
For you
But I will stand
With you
I am me
I am not what you want or prefer me to be
I AM Me
Mixed race
I AM
i-freebird
I accept, see, and love you
Why do you not see me?

 ©  i-freebird  Sheryl Kay Sartin

a.k.a Sheryl PS

I must tell you all… During my elementary and high school days I was teased for being mixed race. I was told that mixed people are mixed up and confused, bi racial relationships do not last and if they do the offspring are mixed up and confused. I was called a zebra. I was called derogatory names at happenings that involved a race I won’t mention now. However, me and my sisters were automatic bitches. I was condemned from one black mans family if we stayed together and later in life my children were hurt and defined. Racism existed for us but not just the usual RACISM… In my eyes and personal experiences everyone is racist or biased to some degree. However, in the cases of my children, I could only do so much to stand up for them and help them be proud to be them. At ages 9-11 my second son was ridiculed, teased and put down for being darker than his siblings and especially his mother & grandmother. At elementary school here in Minnesota. Between the ages of 9 and 17 my daughter went through very similar issues as my son. Due to the daily puns and ridicule about his skin color, my son felt compelled to ask me why he was darker than and asked if he could go live with his Dad so that maybe he wouldn’t get ridicule for being the darker child and not matching me or his grandmother.

My daughter fought many battles like this as well. She too was ridiculed for her skin tone through her school days. School rules, laws and faculty never helped her.

Racism still exists. When it comesto racial  tolerance, we have a long way to go. When it comes to cultural acceptance and understanding, there is some but not enough. When it comes to racial harmony, we are all a mess. Thank you for reading this my friends.