Lest We Forget Part 2

Note:  This is the second part of a two-part reflection by Lucretia H. that was inspired by a recent Lenten Ignatian Solidarity Network piece. The link to the ISN posting is provided for you here:

 https://ignatiansolidarity.net/blog/2021/03/10/lest-we-forget/

 

          Is racism Real? You be the judge of my experience.

 

          I know I never thought of myself as a racist. My mother would never permit it. My father pointed out to us how privileged we were. “If you have an education, you are never poor.”  I was the oldest of twelve, and my mother was a stay-at-home mom while my dad held three jobs.  He was a Postal Clerk, which paid the bills, and a Handyman at a local hotel, and a janitor at our church (the church money paid for our Catholic Education).  My family is diverse in ethnicity;

Russian, Polish, Italian, British, African American, Filipino, and probably more.  We went to what I called an Irish school (the Monsignor was from Ireland); we learned every Irish song and learned the Irish Jig. But sometimes I must put myself in check by the words I say, my stares and sometimes the mental judgements I make. So, in the reflection it asked how I have had experiences that would not let me forget…

          Several years back, my apartment was broken into. The incident, though, sticks with me to this day. The officer who questioned me made a comment: “Why are you living in this neighborhood?”  I lived in a neighborhood where my downstairs neighbor was African American, my landlord was African American, and my neighbors were mostly men and women of color. I felt comfortable there. I loved my little community; I learned how to cook and grow collard greens and celebrate life.  How dare he ask that question? 

          Once, I was stopped by the police. It was late at night. The officer flashed his light into my car over and over. “Why have you stopped me?,"  I asked. No response.  My friend in my car was a woman of color.  He then let us go and followed us. When I dropped her off, he finally drove away. I was wondering still what his real reason for stopping me.

          Around 2001, I had moved to Syracuse. I was looking for a house to buy. I was not familiar with Syracuse too well (although I had taught at Saint Anthony’s on West Colvin in the 70’s). I wanted to look at a house on Wellesley Street. 

Now, I know this is called the Strathmore Section of Syracuse. The Realtor gave me directions from Liverpool. The directions took me near the reservoir and around that way.  Later, I realized she did not really want me to know where I was buying a house. My backyard abutted Elmwood Park, a lovely park for walking, and was several blocks from South Avenue. There are gate-like signs to the entrance of Strathmore, welcoming you to Strathmore. The neighborhood was mostly Caucasian. My brother-in-law has lived in Liverpool all his life and when he came to visit my new place, he told me he never drove through the Southside. He did not even know the area. Have you ever seen signs that say, “Welcome to the Southside or Westside?”  By the way, those signs were from dollars given by Senator DeFrancisco, when our New York Legislators had discretionary money for special projects.

          I have other experiences that let me know I have privilege and that people of color are singled out because their skin is different. Living south of Boston, new immigrants were exploited in the Jewelry factories. First the Portuguese, then the Puerto Ricans and in the 90’s the Vietnamese. Let us remember our history, Japanese rounded up and stolen of their possessions, voting rights only for those of male privilege, labor laws that left out people of color, people from other countries for centuries, exploited and died to build this country. Lest we forget these and other social injustices. Oh, and those are not so long ago, recently the Asian community being singled out because our leaders called this the Chinese Virus, legislation that asks for English as the only American language (Europeans and Asian countries, speak multiple languages). Just read the headlines for more examples.

          What of your actions put you in check?  What are your experiences? Have you been curious about current situations?  Have you read books that tell of people that are from diverse backgrounds and their experiences in the past and the present?  Do YOU celebrate diversity?

 

Lucretia H.