When I was in elementary school, one of best friends was black. When we got to middle school, she wouldn’t hang out with me anymore. When I asked her why, she said I wouldn’t understand.
As I moved through my school years, I had friends of all colors, but I noticed that there were a lot fewer of my black friends in my honors classes.
Over the years, I decided to take a step closer. I consciously decided to attend a church that had many races instead of a mostly white church. I made some of my best friends there. I noticed that when I went out with my friends of color, sometimes they were treated differently than me.
I took a step closer and listened to them tell me about the challenges they faced. Challenges I never had to deal with. I took a step closer and began to work with refugees. We became friends and laughed and shared meals. I took a step closer and heard the stories of pregnant women treated with utter disregard. Things I would not have tolerated. I took a step closer and discovered my friend’s husband was terribly beaten because he could not speak English well. There was no justice for him. I took a step closer and began to speak out. This isn’t right. Racism in all forms is wrong. My heart is broken on so many levels. Here is what I ask of my white friends. Take a step. Wherever you are, take a step towards understanding. Listen to your co-workers and friends. Be a friend to all. Be kind in your speech and in action. Treat others the way you want to be treated. You can change things. We tend to underestimate our personal impact. Don’t underestimate the kind of person God created you to be. He created you to love others and Him. Take a step, please.
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