My
grandma shared a story about an experience that she encountered. Before my
grandfather went off the serve our country, He purchased my grandmother a brand
new car. He wanted to ensure that she would be able to do what she needed to do
for her and their three children on her own. Months after he had been gone my
grandmother decided to apply for a few positions while the children were at
school. This would give her something to do and it would give her a little
extra cash for gas and other things. She managed to land a part time job as a
cook. That was fine with her because she could get the kids to school, work and
be on time to pick them up.
Only one
week into the job one of her Caucasian co –workers saw her getting out of the
car. She jokingly replied; “They must really like your cooking”. Soon after
rumors was flying about my grandmother’s car.
Finally the owner came to her and asked her about the car and where did
she get it from. Then he suggested that it was causing a ruckus among the other
employers; he concluded by asking her to park her car a few blocks away from
them and walk to work like the other workers that catch the bus. He implied
that; “that kind of car (for a woman of color) makes people feel like she is
better than them. And we didn’t want that.” This of course was a time when it
was known that the White race was the better race and blacks were just
beginning to be allowed to gain some “equal rights”.
My
grandmother found a safe place she could leave the car and walked blocks to
work every day. Even after others began to show their cars at work she
continued her routine. She conveyed; “My husband was proud to be able to go off
to serve this country. He wanted to be able to provide his children with some
of the freedom and equality that he was not able to have as a child. He wanted
this car to be a symbol of overcoming the stigmas that they had”. She never
shared with my grandfather what had occurred though their letters because she
did not what to discourage him. He died serving his country and never knew how
she still had to adjust her life to protect their children.
This
happened many many years before I was born and now in my adulthood we are still
experiencing similar issues of so called equality. My grandmother used her
experience to teach her children to not judge people by their possessions or
appearance because you do not know the sacrifice that have been made for them
to be where they are at that time. I see discrimination, prejudice and
stereotypes daily in the interactions of others; however, I have learned to use
it for motivation and enlighten. I laugh at their ignorance and model
appropriate interaction with the people around me. I will not allow that to
consume me or determine how I will live or be.
What we are dealing with is beyond the color of our skin. It is a heart issue; it is deep within. Until
we began to self evaluate ourselves and realize that we all have individual
attributes that are greater than another’s in various areas and the ability to combine
them, we will never do the great things that can truly accomplished as an
people, and a nation, as a Whole.
