"Black Lives Matter," you see it posted everywhere you turn. It's something I have always believed in; however, it didn't hit home until we adopted our son, Abriel.
I grew up in a mixed race family. My dad's Lebanese and my mom's Caucasian. They got married at a time when interracial relationships were disapproved of. Due to the prejudice they faced in their marriage, we were taught at an early age that character is not defined by the color of your skin. We were taught that everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord. You see, children are not born with the instinct to hate others. Racism is a learned behavior.
With that being said, I didn't really understand what racism was until 9-11 happened. I was only 9 years old at the time. I remember going back to school and my classmates telling me they still loved me even though I was, "Arab." I remember people openly voicing their hatred of Muslim's and anyone who looked as though they were of Middle Eastern descent. Why were people treating me differently? Why were people treating my Muslim friends and family differently? How does a child (that's taught that everyone is equal) process this kind of behavior?
Racism in America is real and it starts with US. When we teach our children to have negative feelings towards an individual based strictly on their affiliation with a particular social group, we are teaching them to be prejudice. I didn't grow up as a Black man or woman in America, so I can't speak on their behalf; however, I can speak for any parent that's raising a Black child in todays society. We are scared. We fear the day we have to explain to them that they're treated differently because of their skin color. We fear the day that they're wrongfully accused of a crime they didn't commit just because they're Black. We fear that one day they will be the one murdered out of pure hatred.
Why should I have to look at my beautiful baby boy's face and worry about these things? Why in 2020 are we STILL battling racism and prejudice? As his mom, I want to protect him from the cruelty of the world we live in. I want him to stay this innocent forever. I know I'd be naive to think that he won't have to go through the struggles of being a Black man in America, but that doesn't mean I won't do everything in my power to make sure he's not another statistic.
At the end of the day, all we can do is teach him to see the good in the world. Teach him that his character is not defined by the color of his skin. To instill in him that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to. We can do our best to raise him to be a respectable member of society. That's all any parent can do. Racism starts with us. Black lives do matter.
XOXO,
Ash
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