My whole life has been to try to fit in with the crowd. I stand out in many different ways, one being the color of my skin.  I was brought into a world where there is hate everywhere I go. The first time I noticed how people saw me as a person was not a memorable moment. I was one of the two black kids in my class,and the other black kid was my brother. I had just happened to get my hair done. I came to school on Monday and almost everyone was giving very kind compliments, but one kid’s comment stood out to me. That kid said to me, “Why do you have a wig on,and you normally look like you got electrified because your hair is so puffy.” At that moment I had no idea what to say to him. Luckily I didn’t have to say anything because I had friends that had my back and stood up for me. They said, “Dude, why would you ever say that to someone, and that’s not even kind.” He could not understand why that comment was affecting me so much and why he shouldn’t have said that to me. For my whole life, I have been bullied for my hair, the color of my skin, and for what kind of family I had.

Every year I have days that I go home crying because some dumb person says a nasty comment to me. The most recent comment that I received was my sophomore year spring trip for band. We went to Tennessee, and we visited the Civil Rights Museum. That was a very big powerful day I thought because we learned many things, such as how black people were treated back in the old days. That day we were coming back to our hotel from the museum. I stood up through garbage. I was going to my seat, and a group of boys were looking at me making comments to each other. The whole trip they have been very rude to me, and I did not understand why since I have never done anything bad to them. I tried not to listen to them because they were not worth listening to. But one comment stood out to me that came from the senior boy. He said to me, “ Would you like to switch seats with me because I should be in front of the bus.” Now that got me real heated because we did just go to a museum to learn about equality. He clearly learned nothing from that.  I, of course, didn’t say anything because when I have said things back, my words did not affect him or anyone else. I stayed quiet and that night I cried myself to sleep.

From every cruel comment I have received throughout my time living in the United states, I have learned many valuable lessons. I have learned to stand up for myself and others around me. I have helped out many people who were being bullied. I hope to change the view points of certain people in life.