By Camille Taylor
A student at a local school has a part time job at a local restaurant. Let’s call her “Mary.”
“Mary” is African-American and has worked at this restaurant as both a hostess and a waitress. So, she is in constant contact with customers. Mary described how she gets questions from customers about her hair (she wears an afro), her accent (she has a slight British accent), and her name, which is not a typical Anglo-Saxon name.
She didn’t anticipate that these aspects of her life would be an issue for anyone, but has discovered that these are issues she has to contend with while working in a public place in Bloomington/Normal. When I asked her how getting these questions made her feel, she said she used to get irritated, but now she has learned to use their questions as an opportunity to educate them.
“Mary” indicated that she has learned to move on and not hold grudges and that has allowed her to grow as a person. She was bullied, teased, and excluded for being “different” in elementary and middle school. As a high school student she came to understand that it is OK to be who she is, and she is proud of her African heritage. Her self- confidence has allowed her to become a leader in her school and help others who are less fortunate.