-Keeping an attitude of curiousity towards people. Not all people are "of this land" and don't want to be assumed to be assimilated to the land. Some people have migrated and have cultural identity that they do stongly identify with. It's about *taking the time* to get to know people.
-White not being considered as a race - that was a mind blowing thing when the woman said it. Like white privilege is so prevelant for white people that white people didn't even think of white as a race - but just as the majority & dominant culture. Like to be American is to be white - to be another race in America is to be minority and therefor is classified/categorized by race. Americans like to fit things into a neat box.
-Thinking about the fact that white is a race too - I am white and I have immigrants in my family history - it's important for white people to know their cultural roots too. We should all be aware of our own unique identities & that will help us to empathize & hold curiousity for what other people's cultural identiites are.
-Native - preferred over American Indian or Indigenous - land is a stong tie to part of culture and yet America has decolonized natives for years
-America as melting pot! We don't allow people to be as they are in their own cultural identities because we want to label people. We can't just let people live as they are. It's disgusting how much the government has a hand in this nations culture.
-It's upsetting to think that people, just by living in America, have to give up what they grew up with, and blend in to the melting pot of America. Do other countries force this? I pray this is a time of transition where we turn that around & really start to welcome & celebrate each other.
-Realizing how TV shows portray black and latino in shows like Drugs, Inc, and other shows about gangs. You don't see a lot of white people in those shows. That influences the perceptions about Black people & Latino people.
-Trying not to have symptathy but rather empathy. I don't want to feel bad for people for all that they endure and have been through. I want to sit with people and let them know I'm here.
**Bottom line**
We need to slow down and take the time to get to know each other.
-"In America it's the sqeakiest wheel gets the oil" - do we really have equal opportunity?
-Black children/teens speaking as if they have to "comply" and behave in a certain way to avoid reprucussions. That they have to prove they aren't a threat. There is so much wrong with this.
