We are all born into a world that none of us are meant to understand which is absolutely ludicrous because we spend our lives trying to figure out our purpose in life. We are somehow, some way supposed to figure it all out along the way with no form of map or guidelines. Just the guidance of our family members who have figured it out way before us. I tell people that I was born into a black and white world which the vast majority could not comprehend because they are blinded by their own ignorance and prejudices. A life has limitless value. In America, unfortunately not everyone believes that. I have always pondered the question of "Why is my life so challenging?" or "Why is it always a hard road, and never easy?" For some reason I blamed myself, the reality of it all has always been my black skin. My own being provokes challenge in a society that was designed for me to fail. As I grew to expand my knowledge base only then did I fully understand how the American society worked.Over the course of this past week two black men have been murdered by cops. Whether guilty or innocent I do not know nor have the authority to make that decision. But what I do know, are the cold hard facts, people are dying by the hands of those who are supposed to protect us. Police brutality against minorities has increased over the past year and is becoming more and more of an issue in the United States. As a young black male of 24 years old, who has previously been involved with the law, reality sunk in. I have been overwhelmed with emotion trying to decipher everything which inspired me to write this article.
At a young age I was transracially adopted into a predominately white family.
Transracial adoption is the combining of parents and children of different races to form an adoptive family.
In latent terms, My parents are white.
This should be my golden ticket but it is not.
God bless the Reed and Ganhs families for what they do. My family alone has had over 300+ foster children of all race and backgrounds, have adopted 11 as their own, and my aunt is a social worker.
You think that would grant me some privileges in society. Think again.
My parents taught my sister and I that family is not about whose blood you have, but about who you care about. It is not about the color of your skin but the morals and values within ones heart. They taught us to have an open mind and a judgement free perspective. To experience life to the fullest. To follow the Golden Rule “Do unto others, as you should have them do unto you.” They allowed my sister and I to have the freedom to express ourselves as individuals.
But, I am unsure if my parents were prepared for the backlash they would receive for adopting two African American children back in the 90's as well as the many challenges their children would face in life. We have experienced instances of racism and discrimination because my parents and I do not look alike.
I vividly remember I was about 4 or 5 years old, my family went out to grab Subway for dinner when my sister started throwing a tantrum. My Dad slapped her on the butt to put her in check. Next thing I know I hear a black man in line yell "Hey! You can't do that!" My Dad responded "She is my daughter and I can punish her if she misbehaves." Then they both proceeded to get into a verbal altercation. We received our subs and stormed out of the place.
At the time I just saw it as my Dad being too aggressive but the reality of the situation: he was a white man slapping a black child.
Parent/Teacher conferences were interesting when teachers automatically assumed my parents were black and the look of angst as they shook their hands. Or the blatant racism I would experience daily while attending a small town high school. I remember I was told I would be hung from a basketball hoop if I did not go fetch a ball.
Lest not forget, my parents are white. But if I was murdered by the police that would not matter.
As children my parents instilled the importance of education. At a young age, my teachers saw potential in me and knew that I needed to be challenged academically in order to succeed. I was placed in accelerated courses and by the second grade I was at an eighth grade learning level. They emphasized that maintaining good grades would prepare me for my future endeavors. Daily they preached that my way to be successful was to go to college so that I could have a better life. I graduated high school with a 3.1 GPA and received multiple scholarships. While in college I studied various courses including Business, Hospitality, Spanish, and African American studies.
My life changed after I took a few African American History and Art courses while in college with Dr. Kimn Carlton-Smith. The first day of class was the most real life oxymoron experience I have encountered, I literally thought I was in the wrong classroom.
Dr. Kimn walks in and my jaw dropped, I instantly thought “How is a white lady qualified to teach me about African Americans?” Then she spoke with a thick southern accent. Myself and the other classmates lost it. (Mind you the class was about 95 percent Black, 5 percent White) Wait a minute, how is it that a white lady from the South can teach us about African Americans?
Dr. Kimn was and is more than qualified to teach students about African Americans. We started with the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and ended with the Presidency of Barack Obama. This course altered my life as I knew it and parts of me felt as though I have been lied to by society. The American Society was not and is not established for African Americans to prevail. It helped me to not only better understand myself as a Black man in America but helped me to empathize with my people as an entire race.
Lest not forget, I am educated. But if I was murdered by the police that would not matter.
Though I have a vast scale of knowledge and educational backing the media would flood the news channels and social media outlets with my own personal legal record. Which those who know me personally would know the truth behind the situation while society would spread hate and misguided information. Society would label me as a thug or warrant my death by the hands of the law and parade hatred and bigotry for all to see.
I became involved in my community at the age of 7: I joined the Boy Scouts of America, I started off in Cub Scouts in the 2nd Grade and completed my Eagle Scout rank in August 2008 as well as I received Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow later in the year, was active in my church, participated in many extracurricular, community and volunteer activities in high school and throughout college. Following high school I joined Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Epsilon Chapter where I not only mentored my brothers, but also the Greek community by serving in leadership positions and working to unify Greek Life at its entirety. Through efforts like these, I developed personal, social, communication, and leadership skills. 
Lest not forget, I am active and give back to my community, and have an established list of credentials and skills. But if I was murdered by the police that would not matter.
I have held steady legal employment for the past six years. Those who work with me and who have worked with me know that my work ethic is extraordinary. When I set my mind to something I am going to accomplish it one way or another. When given a task I complete it, and have never quit anything I have started. This definitely stems from childhood or maybe because I could never leave the table since I did not finish my vegetables. Who knows? But it is kind of sickening. Each position I had, I have tried to bring a little bit of myself into it to create a better work environment. My jobs have ranged from manual labor to clerical work to retail to banquet service so I have seen it all. I have been independent from my parents as soon as I was 18 years old.
Lest not forget, I have been actively employed. But if I was murdered by the police it would not matter.
My adoption has made me who I am today, it has taught me to be resilient in order to overcome the challenges of the world.
Being black in a white world has been a rollercoaster in trying to figure out where you belong in a society that is so twisted. You are too black to be white, but too white to be black. It is a paradox that had shown me that no matter your skin color a universal value is love, love is what binds us all together as humans.
The good thing about love, is that love is limitless.
Love has no color.
Multiracial families like my own, we practice the art of ONE LOVE. We have established new family values in our society today. We contribute to the progression of racial equality in the United States. We are the agents of change.
As a people we need to take the time to realize and understand that as humans, we are all the same. No matter if you are African American, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic. A cop, a judge, a lawyer, a farmer. Heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Male, female, or transgendered.
In a world, that is set up for myself and others like me to fail; there still is hope. At times it may seem dark and that we may not matter to the world but a secret is, we matter to someone and we are their world!
