The other morning during breakfast Lily asked me in all sincerity if she was black. Before I could answer she followed up with, "I know I'm not white, but I don't think I'm black either."
Stopped. Me. In. My. Tracks.
Lily has been learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. in school. At home we had had some wonderful and heart-breaking discussions about the Civil Rights movement, what precipitated it, the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr., and how very far we still have to go.
If you want your heart laid bare - exposed and raw - try to explain such ugliness to an innocent 6 year old. I have tried desperately and will continue to try to keep the little in my little girl for as long as possible. But trying to explain things like racial discrimination, hatred, bigotry...it starts to peel away those layers of innocence. Bit by bit.
I believe my sweet girl was trying to figure out where her "oatmeal with brown sugar" colored skin fit within the Civil Rights movement. I did my best to answer her questions and have been asking myself questions ever since!
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