Color and Equality.

This amazing artwork was created by: Nikkolas Smith. Go and see more of his Artwork on his Instagram page @nikkolas_smith.

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Before you read this I want to ask you to read my whole piece. The beginning may sound rough but you will get my message when you've reached the end of the page.

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When I was younger I had a lot of respect for people who had a dark face. I do not mean dark in having a black face but dark in the sense of them looking mean at me. And when I used to describe my fear of people looking dark at me, I would often receive the answer:"okay, but you have to realize that what you just said is really racist."And that had partially to do with the fact that I was just thoroughly describing their mimic, general behavior and looks... also including their color of skin. Amongst other things I interpret those people as 'gross'. Keep reading and let me explain. It was not that I thought, that they were gross because the people that I was describing were of a particular color. But because their face/mimic seemed so dark and intimidating to me.

And by saying gross I mean: angry, mean, avaricious or disgusted.

I was just trying to describe the impression they made on me, with that including their mimic, gestures and looks. After thinking about the response I received from my family, I understood what they meant. But I always described white colored people exactly the same way and nobody said anything about that. So at first I was confused, but after some more thinking I seemed to figure out why that was. I think the reason was that they were so fixated on the fact that describing people of color would be racist, but describing white colored people with their color would not. And that is just wrong. Only people who are racists are so concentrated and concerned about the color because they do not want to talk about the fact that people look different. I do not think about the difference of the skin color as something bad. To me it is just another way to describe a person like we all do by saying that somebody has brown hair or green eyes.

Now, the lesson I should have been thinking about, is that I even felt the urge to describe those people. I could have just said:"There was this person that was just staring/ looking strangely at me, and that was really bothering me.". I (we all) shouldn't be judging people by their looks if their behavior is the thing that made me feel uncomfortable. Generally we should not be judging anybody at all. Each and every person on this world should be treated with respect even if we don't agree with their opinions or behavior. And that is really difficult to differentiate from one another for a lot of people. I learned a lot about that by getting older and being more involved in the field of caregiving and psychology. But respect is the way we should treat everybody, no matter what we look like, what we sound like, where we come from or what our hobbies are, etc.

It is really sickening to me, that people of color need to explain that the issue of equality is everybody's business. And that white colored people should not be thinking:"oh I am white this does not affect me". We all need to use the power and privileges that we have to reach equality all over the world. Equality about everything for everyone.

In the IGTV-video 'Me and my DCTV sisters talk about Ahmaud Arbery' on Instagram, Candice Patton asked:"What more do we need to see". To answer that question I can only think of this:"You shouldn't even need to ask that question. You should not be able to feel this attacked, by just looking the way you do. People, no matter what, should not be having to ask for help to be accepted for who they are. Especially not if they have done nothing to harm anyone. You should not feel so much hurt."

And by quoting Candice's' own words:"Do no harm, take no sh*t"I want to finish this piece by interpreting that advise on my own way:"Show respect no matter what and know your own worth."

Speak for those who can't and be kind to everybody.

Be more present and I'll see you in my next piece.