No, this isn’t another “Not All White People” or “Not Just Black Lives, All Lives Matter” bullshit article. Yes, not all white people are racist, but enough still are, and that’s a problem. A big problem. And of course all lives matter, but enough people have forgotten that black lives matter too. They haven’t been treated with the same dignity and respect as others, so a national uproar and trending hashtag occurred out of necessity to remind everyone that black lives do indeed matter just as much. But this isn’t about that; this is about me, an individual that wants to help, understand, and give my opinion. I’m not speaking on behalf of my race, I’m speaking on behalf of myself, even though I’m sure there are others that can relate.

There is, without a doubt, a race problem in this country, and it has been amplified over the last year and a half, especially with all of the recent media coverage. I (shockingly) was unaware of most of this. As a young white female, I have never experienced racism first hand, or even heard race being discussed. Sure, every now and then there might’ve been a news story coming from somewhere else in this country about a possible racist crime, but the perpetrator is usually written off as a looney or bigot, an exception to the rule. Our generation has been raised to believe that since the Civil Rights Movement happened in the 1960s, America’s race problem has disappeared, when in reality, it was just broken down and swept under the rug. I am ignorant to a lot that goes on in this country, and I don’t want to be hidden from the truth anymore.

I was raised by parents that don’t believe your skin color defines who you are as a person, so I foolishly thought that that’s how everyone else was brought up too. I am also the product of white privilege without even realizing it. Not privilege as in 'everything in life is just handed to me and I don’t understand what it means to work for anything,' but privilege as in 'I don’t understand what it means to have people lock their car doors when I walk by, or give me the side eye on the bus, or follow me when I walk into a store.'

I am ignorant to this whole other world, and I don’t want to be.

So do not shame me just yet for my ignorance, it was never intentional. Do not assume that because I am white, I am racist, and I'm going to spew hurtful words at you. Do not think that just because I have never been the victim of racism that I will idly sit by and let you be hurt next. Do not belittle me and write me off for wanting to help but not fully understanding how just yet. Show me instead. Let me work with you instead of pointing your finger at me and telling me this is my fault because of what my ancestors did to yours in the past. Tell me when I am being offensive; I would never purposely do something to hurt you, so if it is wrong, let me know, so I can change.

Becoming aware of a problem is the first step in fixing it, so please educate me as best as you can, because our

education system has not. I want to work with you, as a friend, so that this may be the movement that officially ends racism in the land of the “free.” I don’t want my privilege and the fairy-tale belief that everyone thinks just like me, I want to be an ally in creating a world where there is no shame in your skin color, whether it be white, black, or any other color under the sun.