hyde park chicago

tonight i experienced, for the first time, being a minority.

i experienced this once before in chinatown, new york, but it was on an open street and felt much different. this time, i was traveling to the south side of chicago to visit some friends from iowa. i stepped onto the red line train heading south, sat down, looked around, and realized i was the only white person in this train car.

admittedly, i felt nervous, wondered what people thought, if they noticed i was the only white girl, etc. or, the thought i'm most ashamed to say i thought: would any of them help me if one of them jumped me (though this was not going to happen in broad day light)? i doubt they noticed, but i felt absorbed in mainly african-american culture. there was definitely a more humbling feel about this train car and these people. i wondered what their stories were, what part of chicago they lived in, how they experienced oppression and still dealt with the systemic racism that is a part of chicago today... my friend who is getting her degree in urban affairs has been talking with me about all the interesting books she's reading about race and african-american gentrification... we have deep-seated issues as a city and country... as an individual...

on a lighter note, i actually used my rainboots today. when i purchased them, i really just wanted cute boots. but when the bus pulled up to the stop, i had no choice but to step in a puddle created between the curb and the street (about 3-5 inches deep!) in order to get on. luckily, the rain boots not only looked cute, but did their job.