As I walked into the crowded subway train I noticed a young Latino man, he was in his late teens and was dressed like a typical kid from the inner-city of Chicago. He looked right at me. I nervously turned my back, gripped my bag with one hand and the overhead handrail with the other. A few seconds after the train took off I felt a tab on my shoulder. I turned and he was standing by his seat, motioning for me to sit. I was surprised and said thank you as I sat down, still keeping eye contact. He proceeded to grab the overhead handrail with this left hand and as I brought my gaze down, I looked eye-level at his right hand and in it, was a Bible.
I've never forgotten that moment. I was a college student, living in the heart of Chicago in the early-90's. I had a growing desire to reach out and make a difference in the world. I also had a lot to learn. In the fall of 1997, I moved to my current home in a very diverse inner-city neighborhood of Minneapolis. I'm not sure of the exact racial breakdown here but the people you usually see walking around are young and black, some wearing hoodies. With the recent death of Trayvon Martin, I've thought a lot about many of the young black men that we know, love and have so enriched our lives. They could so easily be Trayvon and it breaks my heart.
After 14 years of seeing young black men walking around I have to honestly say that if I saw one do something, I mean something bad, I would be shocked. 99% of the time, what I see, is just young men, walking to school, catching the bus, hanging with friends, just being kids. The other 1% of the time I might watch someone suspiciously or call 911, when I feel there is something to report. I realize that my response is based on experience. I think about Martin Luther King's dream,
Regardless of race, to know someone's character means you have to know them, personally! I think the issues we still face in America are from lack of experience, lack of knowing people who are different from ourselves. My goal is to help bridge that gap in the lives of the people I know. This past year I had someone tell me that their struggle with racist attitudes came to light because they got to know our neighbor kids, the ones we bring to church. I know I cannot change the whole world but I can impact the people around me. That's my plan!
I've never forgotten that moment. I was a college student, living in the heart of Chicago in the early-90's. I had a growing desire to reach out and make a difference in the world. I also had a lot to learn. In the fall of 1997, I moved to my current home in a very diverse inner-city neighborhood of Minneapolis. I'm not sure of the exact racial breakdown here but the people you usually see walking around are young and black, some wearing hoodies. With the recent death of Trayvon Martin, I've thought a lot about many of the young black men that we know, love and have so enriched our lives. They could so easily be Trayvon and it breaks my heart.
After 14 years of seeing young black men walking around I have to honestly say that if I saw one do something, I mean something bad, I would be shocked. 99% of the time, what I see, is just young men, walking to school, catching the bus, hanging with friends, just being kids. The other 1% of the time I might watch someone suspiciously or call 911, when I feel there is something to report. I realize that my response is based on experience. I think about Martin Luther King's dream,
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Regardless of race, to know someone's character means you have to know them, personally! I think the issues we still face in America are from lack of experience, lack of knowing people who are different from ourselves. My goal is to help bridge that gap in the lives of the people I know. This past year I had someone tell me that their struggle with racist attitudes came to light because they got to know our neighbor kids, the ones we bring to church. I know I cannot change the whole world but I can impact the people around me. That's my plan!
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