I awoke this morning with a dream on my mind. Shattered realities of false family ties. I am bi racial. My mother is African American and my father is Puerto Rican, he came to America as a child. I am a middle child, only girl. My parents were married for some great time, but good things do sometimes end.
Though we are not the only African American bi racial grand children in my Puerto Rican family, we were treated as such. I assume/ and have been told that this was an issue far more developed before my birth. And it seems it never has been corrected.
In spanish, we great elders with "Bendicion" or Blessings/Benediction. I have always been great at remembering this around them.
"Bendicion, grandma,." I said to her reaching for a hug. And as she turn away, all I could say was the truth. Why do you treat me/us as such? The black sheep. Like we are diseased and not apart of this family. And she replied: "Because you are."
What instantly became no longer a conversation based on calmness and respect, now was fueled with all the bitter moments I've held in from my childhood.
I just didn't want to live a lie anymore. This dream hits home with many. I have a student I teach, who came crying to me about the same sentiments, however, her family is Mexican.
Its amazing what we do to our own people. We are stricken with categorizing ourselves based on appearance, race, gender; visible representation of a human, not a soul.
Remember who you are offending.... Next time you turn the other cheek.
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