As a POC (person of color) and a person who was born here myself, I have always wondered what it means to be "enough" for the society and the world we live in. Will my eye shape be enough? Will my hair color be enough? Will the tone of my skin color be enough to be "accepted" by society? Things like this have always run through my mind whenever I pass by a group of people who didn't look like me.

But recently, unacceptance has turned into hate and despise among people in our society. I realized that the past few years were nothing like the previous years before, where we didn't care as much about the shape of our eyes, the tone of our skin, or the sound of our voice. All of these things began to mean so much more since 2020. Both in good and bad ways…

It's interesting how when I think of racism, I often think of a group of people trying to block one person from joining their friend group. There are hateful insults thrown out, malicious threats, as the person "tries" (emphasis on the word "tries") to make it into that group. Racism has almost become sort of similar to a meme for the "popular kids clique" as often portrayed in high school cafeterias. There is exclusion, and most definitely a reason for that exclusion. But the funny thing is, that reason isn't even considered "valid" in any way, shape, or form. It is just another prototype created by the members of that clique/ group to prevent others from easily entering. Only those that share the "similarities" are welcome.

Most of us fall into the pressure of wanting to and even at some point, trying to enter this "clique." Despite how exclusive it may be, it has gotten everyone's interests. People talk about it, gossip about it, and some even go so far to spread keen rumors about it. But it all comes down to one thing: This clique is wanted by everyone.

The problem starts with something being "wanted" by everyone is that it becomes the basis for how things "should be" or how they "should look like." The horrifying racism we have seen in the past year happening to multiple groups of people is essentially the outcome of people wanting to become and maintain this "clique." Because this clique is wanted by almost everyone, it becomes something that the members of the clique feel they should protect and keep sacred. Unfortunately, this also means developing enough pride to ward off those that are considered "different."

If a stranger asked me what is wrong with being "different," I would say that we are not the ones that are wrong, but what being "different" means is wrong instead. Because being "different" is portrayed to POCs and those of minority groups as not being able to conform to whiteness, it ultimately reflects back to us as a form of a disadvantage. Because the world constantly tells us to be one way or another, if we don't meet those standards, we fall into exclusion and fear of losing that ounce of "difference."

But being "different" doesn't always have to remain a disadvantage. We, as people who have the prototype of having the ability to be different, can create an experimentation where we can prove that being different comes with an advantage. We are not obligated to do things that go against our own will. This includes joining the "clique." I've learned that although it is a clique with a majority amount of people and has all the beliefs and values, people are dying to adhere to, that doesn't mean it is always necessary to become a member of this clique. But what really matters is that we are aware of the disadvantages of being in the clique and how these things can affect how we see the world and the recent events that have happened.