This video was shown in one of my classes during a presentation this past spring, and it still makes me think to this day. I’ve always seen that minorities were treated poorly, and I knew that it was wrong, but it wasn’t until I took the class I was in that I really realized I could do something about it. I always felt that since I didn’t understand that struggle personally, I couldn’t stand up. What I realize now is that I can stand up. I am in a position of standing up every day, and I’ve committed myself to doing that.
During my classmate's final presentation where this video was shown, I was struck. The concept that he explains in this video is something that I have always felt but never had the right words or the right way to explain it. I was touched and inspired by the words in the video, and I truly believe that is the way we should be teaching people. It gives people something that the world is lacking: hope. Hope and love are two of the feelings that drive people throughout their lives, and I feel that this is something so important that not enough people recognize.
Love is the most powerful thing in the world. Call me cliché, but I believe that with all that I am. We walk around each day searching for the acceptance and kindness that we desire, and once we find someone or a group of people who show us that, we hold on to it and are changed by it. That was what this video was all about. It talked about how when we are born, we cry at another baby's cry because we feel pain. We laugh with other children because we see happiness. We smile at another person because we see another person, not a color, religion or stereotype. I understand the fear of colorblindness, as well as the argument that race (as well as religious beliefs and gender identity) makes you who you are, but I think these are all separate problems. The root of all of this can go down to people not seeing anything but what they perceive someone to be. Before they see color, they need to see you.
In another class that I took, we talked about the idea that says "essence precedes existence." This concept talks about the labels that we are given, and says that those labels define us; you cannot ever escape them. Being black, Hispanic or white is what people see to begin with, and they don't stop to see you for who you are. We then talked about the opposite of this idea, which is that "existence precedes essence." This is says that your life becomes the sum of your choices. You choose to confront things that are unjust, or you can choose to go along with things that are unjust, but the idea is this: you choose. There is no predetermined idea of who you are based on skin color, gender, or anything else, you are just who you are and that's that. I think that this is so important, and what this video clearly emphasizes.
If you feel that being black, Christian, male, female or whatever makes you who you are, then you should be able to say that. I believe, however, that it should be your choice to claim it and not someone else's predetermined label. I know now that is what I should be doing. I know how I can teach people all the things that I have learned in my class. I can show them videos, or use examples from it to explain why they should care too. This video is an experience that changed my perspective, and I hope that by sharing this, it can change others too.
Now, I know that I am no scholar by any means. I am completely aware that there is still so much that I can learn. I can tell you that I am inspired, and hopeful that change can happen. I truly believe that if we challenge ourselves to see past all the insecurities inside ourselves about people who are different than us, we can begin to change the world. All it takes is seeing a person and letting them define themselves rather than assuming based on their color, sexual identity or religion what to think about them. Compassion and kindness can go a long way, if you are only willing to give it.
