"Please step to the other side of the room if you were raised by a single parent or are a single parent. Notice who's standing with you. Notice who is not. Notice how you feel."

"Please step to the other side of the room if...

...you were raised in an isolated or farming community.

...you were raised Jewish.

...you or a loved one has suffered from depression."

It feels as if a thousand needles are lightly pricking my skin. The room falls silent as every student in the class moves from one side of the classroom to the other.

"Notice who's standing with you. Notice who is not. Notice how you feel."

As I stand among my predominately white, cis-gender, straight, economically stable classmates I notice all of the voices that aren't heard in this moment. My shoulders sink through the rest of my body. I feel numb.

I think I can easily say that the most cringe-worthy word of the last decade has been the infamous "P" word; privilege. I think when we hear the word "privilege" we often associate it with the word "white." It has become such a powerful word that can stop any white person in their tracks and force the conversation to fall silent.

I am no expert by any means, but as I have become more educated, I have found myself becoming increasingly frustrated by the negative connotation encompassed by the word privilege. Privilege is not simply defined by whether you are white or middle-class. Although these are aspects of privilege, these are not the only factors that can make a person privileged. So, take a minute ask yourself each of these questions.

Are you white?

Are you a man?

Are you straight?

Are you middle or upper class?

Are you in the process of, or contain a college education?

Do your parents have a college education?

Are you a U.S. born citizen?

Do you have a car?

Have your parents still married?

Have you ever been on a vacation?

Does your family have health insurance?

Honestly, that is just the beginning of a long list of questions we should be asking ourselves. If you can say "yes" to even one of those questions that means you have been allotted some amount of privilege. The reason I ask you to ask yourself these questions is that I think that we all need a momentary reality check. We have a tendency to emphasize how we are oppressed but forget to shed light on the ways we are all privileged.

As a biracial woman, there are many hurdles that I must face that others will never know exist. Although my race and sex may come with obstacles, I cannot overlook the fact that I am a cis-gender woman that comes from a well-educated, middle-class family.

I am getting damn tired of avoiding this word or seeing the eye rolls when I bring up privilege. Privilege is a real thing. It cannot be ignored. And in one facet or another, we are all given head starts in life because of our privilege.

I hope at this point you are starting to believe that we are all privileged. If not, reread the first 500 words I wrote until you change your mind. If we are on the same page, then you are probably wondering "Okay, so now what?" I have complete confidence in saying that it is not your privilege that matters, but what you choose to do with that privilege.

No, nothing will ever undo the hundreds of years of slavery that existed in the United States. You cannot erase the fact that genocide has occurred. What you can do is bring some attention to your privilege. Become an ally. Don't just say you're an ally but actively engage in the injustices that continue to occur. It is not enough to say that you support gay rights or that black lives do matter. Become educated on these topics and continue to educate others.

It is 2018. Ignorance is no longer a viable excuse as we hold all the knowledge in the world in the palms of our hands.

Hear me as I say that nothing is more frustrating than those that are unwilling to acknowledge that they are afforded access to more opportunities because they are white or because they aren't a first generation citizen. By stating that you are not privileged, you are invalidating the struggles and voicelessness that many experience daily. Who is it that has more to lose here? Is your denial of privilege more imperative than another's sense of value?

I cannot put into words how worn down I am by the pressure of being a spokesperson for minorities, despite how frustrated I become each time I have to explain I will continue to shed light. I will talk, write and scream until I become nothing but dirt. I will not stop fighting, but that's not to say it wouldn't be nice to have a few friends standing by my side.