Black. Brown.Yellow. Orange. White.
My friends.
That is how they look.
Not who they are.
//
My black male friends are not scary nor violent.
My black female friends are not loud, rude or sassy.
I am not.
//
My brown friends are not a threat to your safety.
The beards and the hijabs are not to be afraid of.
They are not here to kill, they are here to live.
//
My yellow friends are not living so you can feed into the stereotypes.
They are more than what the media says.
They are more than your preconceived thoughts.
//
We are not here to make you comfortable or to tend to your tears.
Your white tears are blurring your vision,
So, I beg you, wipe them away.
You would see who they are; past their skin and past your fears.
You would see that they are kind.
They are talented.
They are intelligent.
They are complex.
They are human.
I am human.
They deserve to be respected and you do too.