I Wrote This For You

When I was 13, I took a weekend road trip with my travel basketball team. ?

I was the only white person on the team. ?

We ate together, played together, crashed 4 to a hotel room together. ?

I did that, most weekends, for the next 6 years. ?

My teammates became my second family. ?

I remember a kid in school asking me what it was like to spend weekends with people of a different race.?

That’s when I first realized:?

He didn’t get it. ??

He didn’t get how LUCKY I was. ?

My teammates, all of them black, were amazing human beings. ?

They taught me so much.?

We were not “different races”. ?

I wasn’t the white player and they weren’t the black players. ?

We were all just players on the same team. ?

Just like in life. ?

All people. ?

Of all colors. ?

?Are all just players... on the same team. ?

?The team is called HUMAN. ?

?And we protect our teammates, support our teammates, look out for our teammates. ?

I don’t know how to solve this problem.?

But I know all change starts within, not without. ?

?So if I have any influence with you whatsoever. ?

?If you look up to me or model me at all. ??

Please know. ?

I believe skin color is a distraction. ?

I believe it’s a mirage. ?

Once you see past it, you see we’re all the same.?

Flesh. Blood. Heart. Bones. HUMAN. ?

“Race” is a label. ?

Labels are fables. ?

Choose love. ?

Choose acceptance. ?

Choose empathy. ?

Choose to lead the change by BEING THE CHANGE. ?

I love you. ?

-JC?