White or black?

When it comes to color, I prefer not to see it. So I say to others, I am color blind.

This works for me, especially when at work. We have color coded paper and employees used to tell me they submitted the pink sheet or yellow form. Little do they know, most staff photocopy the forms. The photocopy paper is technically white with black ink and I can differentiate it by reading what the form is. So I asked, what is the name of the form you sent? Not the color.

Working at a school system, this is black history month. Part of our policy, we cannot discriminate base on color.

But black is the new color, don’t you think?

Even in the catholic religion, the saint for today is a black person, St. Josephine Bakhita. I wrote about her in this post, The Lucky One – Black Mother. She is a good example of rising above slavery.

There are other’s that defied colors. Rosa Parks is a big one.

On February 27, 1998, I cut out an article at the Vancouver Sun Poet’s Corner written by a grade 6 student not because she is black but for her remarkable insight.

Me and My Hero

Me and my here are in some ways alike,
Though she’s an old woman and I’m a little tyke.

Because I’m athletic, I love to play sports,
By dribbling a ball and running in shorts.

Fighting for equality is what Rosa Parks does,
By getting her courage from the people she loves.

“Our mistreatment was not right,” is what she did say,
“And we still have to improve our country today.”

I stand up for what I believe in and so does she,
And we both don’t approve of discrimination, you see.

Segregation between blacks and whites is what she wanted to rid,
And her faith gave her strength and courage to live as she did.

Even though the harassment continued, the boycott went on
Until the day dawned when Rosa Parks won.

If I had the courage, I would do what she has done,
Because I, too, would like equality for everyone.

As you can see, me and my hero could be best friends,
And as true as can be, it would be to the end.

by: Victoria Cruz.

Modesty aside, I am welling with pride to see her poetry published in Kids & Comics section. Victoria is my godchild and niece.

She’s my hero.