In 1960 my family moved from a 99% Italian Catholic neighbor in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, to a small town in Suffolk County Long Island that was actually divided in half by the railroad tracks. White on side. Predominantly Black on the other. I ended up in an elementary school and school system that…
In 1960 my family moved from a 99% Italian Catholic neighbor in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, to a small town in Suffolk County Long Island that was actually divided in half by the railroad tracks. White on side. Predominantly Black on the other. I ended up in an elementary school and school system that was mostly Black. It was a culture shock for a seven-year-old who loved the sights, sounds and smells of the big city - but was also a unique experience. I felt isolated and terribly alone for about a week. Uncomfortable and awkward for the next week. And by the end of the third week, I had made new friends, who liked baseball, dodgeball, telling jokes and being a kid and they helped me to feel okay again. And I have always been thankful to that group who followed each other through 8th grade.
In truth kids instinctively zeroed in on who each person was. How they talked to each other - not their accent, but the respect and kindness they showed and gave one another. That experience solidified for me that people can get along regardless of color, religion, politics or anything else. They just have to make the effort, be sincere and "see" the person in front of them, NOT some version of them that others talk about.
I always missed Brooklyn, but felt blessed to have that handful of kids enter my life at that time. They saved me.
"That experience solidified for me that people can get along regardless of color, religion, politics or anything else."
One of the things that most frustrates me about how kids are being taught about race, is that they're being taught to see each other as a collection of immutable traits and privileges instead of as human beings. Kids instinctively see past all the nonsense. It's our job to keep them that way. Not dump our baggage on them.
I'm with you on that point. I have an 16-month old grandson who is filled with curiosity and you can see his joy in experiencing new things. He's taught me a great deal and provides renewed hope for the future.
Interesting article - fascinating comments.
In 1960 my family moved from a 99% Italian Catholic neighbor in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, to a small town in Suffolk County Long Island that was actually divided in half by the railroad tracks. White on side. Predominantly Black on the other. I ended up in an elementary school and school system that was mostly Black. It was a culture shock for a seven-year-old who loved the sights, sounds and smells of the big city - but was also a unique experience. I felt isolated and terribly alone for about a week. Uncomfortable and awkward for the next week. And by the end of the third week, I had made new friends, who liked baseball, dodgeball, telling jokes and being a kid and they helped me to feel okay again. And I have always been thankful to that group who followed each other through 8th grade.
In truth kids instinctively zeroed in on who each person was. How they talked to each other - not their accent, but the respect and kindness they showed and gave one another. That experience solidified for me that people can get along regardless of color, religion, politics or anything else. They just have to make the effort, be sincere and "see" the person in front of them, NOT some version of them that others talk about.
I always missed Brooklyn, but felt blessed to have that handful of kids enter my life at that time. They saved me.
"That experience solidified for me that people can get along regardless of color, religion, politics or anything else."
One of the things that most frustrates me about how kids are being taught about race, is that they're being taught to see each other as a collection of immutable traits and privileges instead of as human beings. Kids instinctively see past all the nonsense. It's our job to keep them that way. Not dump our baggage on them.
I'm with you on that point. I have an 16-month old grandson who is filled with curiosity and you can see his joy in experiencing new things. He's taught me a great deal and provides renewed hope for the future.