People have been living on earth for thousands of years and everyone has their own opinion because everyone is different, but some people don’t know when to keep something to themselves or how to treat other people who are perceived as different. Whether it be someone’s race, background, religion, disability, sex and so on they will be judged by other people because they are seen as different.

The word definition for prejudice is to pre‐judge someone or something because of the way the look, for example the term, don’t judge a book by is cover, it’s saying don’t pre‐ judge something/someone before you get to know it. I am not black, that’s what the world calls me but that’s not me. Going around looking at people and thinking of all the stereotypes you’ve heard liked black women are aggressive, black men are dangerous and can’t be trusted, a successful person is white and male and a beautiful person is female with blue eyes, blonde hair, American and… white. Those are just stereotypes. Of course, some people act like those stereotypes because if no one acted that way then they wouldn’t be there in the first place but, not everyone is like their stereotypes. Racism runs deep. Google ‘The Doll Test’. If a person skins is seen as a weapon they will always be seen as armed and extremely dangerous.

Earlier I said I am not black. I am, but… I’m not. It’s just a label. We all swallow them; we listen and digest them thinking that’s all someone is. However, labels don’t define a person labels are just labels. I fail to see the logic or pride in defining myself or judging another by the cars we drive, our bodies. One question, who would you be if the world never gave you a label or a box to check on a survey or test? Would you be white, black, Mexican, Asian, European… NO! We would be one, we would be united. These labels will forever blind us from seeing a person for who they really are but instead seeing them through their fake, prejudicial, judgmental filters of who we THINK they are. Where there is division there will be conflict and conflict start wars and every war has only started because of labels because of difference. So, the answer to wars and racism, sexism and every other ism is throwing away the labels because they aren’t making things better. Rather, things are getting worse. It’s funny how babies aren’t born racist, yet they cry when they hear the cry of another no matter what gender, race or background proving we were all meant to love and care for one another. Human beings were never meant to be slapped with labels like shops and supermarkets we were destined to be free and only until we dismiss, resist and discard those labels will we be free to see ourselves and each other for who we… truly… are.

Prejudice is one thing. It’s usually when you judge someone mentally. For example, if you’re in a restaurant and someone walks in you might make a judgement about their character before you get to know them. Prejudice becomes discrimination once you act on your judgement towards that individual. You might think that person is disgusting because or ugly because they have a disability, they can’t control but then putting an action to those thoughts is discriminating and it’s extremely wrong. Back when apparently slavery was viewed as ok, black people we judged because of their skin and then people would act on that and hurt them either physically or mentally. You don’t even have to touch or say anything to a person to show discrimination because your eyes will do it for you. If something looks unappealing your eyes will look at it in disgust. They can do the same thing when you look at people and that is a form discrimination.

As I’m sure you’re aware, recently an innocent man was murdered by four policemen. I found the news disgusting and started crying. In the holocaust, innocent people were killed for believing in something or looking a certain way when they had no control over it. They were scared to leave their house let alone stay in their house because of the fear of dying. Today, it’s no different. BAME communities wonder if they can leave their homes and make it through the day without suffering discrimination, racism and micro‐aggressions. No parent can send their child to school without thinking ‘will they get hurt, will they come home safely, will they come home with bruises and battle scars (both physical and mental). As I was saying earlier, the gruesome event that took place not too long ago with George Floyd will be forever imprinted on my mind and I am hurt, angry and frustrated with the injustice shown towards him. Everyday, I think about if that policeman had the sense to get up. All he had to do was GET UP and George would be alive. No one would be fearing their life or their families’ lives. He just had to GET UP!

In my heart I know that if that had happened to somebody I knew personally, I would be devastated, even more so than I am right now. He was on the floor, on his stomach, handcuffed with a racist idiot on his neck suffocating him. I dare anyone to tell me that George had a way of escaping. No one can because he didn’t. If he did wouldn’t you think he would be alive and not laying in a grave lifeless? He was a father, husband, brother, uncle, best friend and employee and within the 10 minutes… he was gone. People are dying on a large scale from COIVID‐19 and we didn’t have to unnecessarily add someone else to that list. Just because someone is a certain skin colour or is from a different background doesn’t make them inferior to other people, it doesn’t put them at the bottom of the hierarchy.

I know everything that I’ve talked about is sad and depressing. I’ve seen injustice and misconduct too many times to just sit there and take it. This is something I’m passionate about and have deep feelings towards. I don’t discriminate, I’m not partial, I’m not racist, I’m not homophobic. If you are feeling depressed after reading this, I’m sorry. But it has to be brought to people’s attention. The terrifying number of racist things that happen every single day that go unnoticed is sickening. Sometimes I feel like crying and sometimes I do because if no one

cared about what anyone looked like or who they were interested in then the world would be a better place and we would have true equality.

We all have the ability to make a difference. We need to speak up and call out acts of discrimination big and small. I’m just a twelve year old girl with a big hope for the future and I know full well that there will always be people who disagree with everything I’m saying and I am fully aware that this world we live in will never be perfect because as humans we are not perfect. I also know that there are millions of people that agree with everything I’m saying and want to make a change. No matter how big or small I crave change. I just want the voice God gave me to be useful.

People are already making a difference and it makes me cry tears of joy to see that people share my beliefs, my hopes, my dreams. There are so many things you can do to help make my dream come true to help the world change its channel, to change the storybook we’re reading and to change the picture we keep drawing.

Love is what will unite us. Thank you for reading!

By ASHONTE, 12

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