THINGS YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT ME - THAT FORMED ME AND HAVE SHAPED ME INTO THE PERSON I AM TODAY.

WHY I CARE ABOUT MY FELLOW MAN/WOMAN.

As many of you know I have experienced extreme events of trauma in my life, such as being sexually abused, forced into prostitution as a teenager, homelessness and violently physically assaulted.

During one of my experiences of being homeless when in the United States, I was trying to get back to Canada, so with no money in my pocket and just the clothes on my back - I hopped into a train boxcar, not knowing where it is was going, but hopefully somewhere better then where I was.

The train eventually pulled into the railyards in an area of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Since the boxcar door was open two rail yard police officers discovered me and ordered off the train.

Stranded on the streets of greater Baltimore I began walking (not in any direction just walking,) as I was walking through the city of Baltimore, I was accosted by 3 young male black gang members, (one produced a knife, the other smashed is beer bottle breaking into a makeshift shank (knife,) and demanded who I was and why I was walking through their neighbourhood.

When I tried to explain I was lost, they demand I had to pay (a tax,) for walking in their neighbourhood without permission. Since I had no money and just my clothes on my back and I had no way of paying their tax - I was certain I was about to get stabbed and cut up bad with their knife and makeshift glass shank.

BUT TO MY AMAZEMENT THE YOUNG BLACK GIIRL THAT WAS WITH THESE 3 MALES - SAW ME AS A PERSON WHO WAS IN NEED AND TOLD THE 3 MALES TO GIVE ME A PASS.

TO THIS DAY I STILL THINK ABOUT MY ANGEL.

Another experience that shaped me into who I am, was during my time as a federal inmate of the United States, while in San Bernardino county jail in California (where I was locked down for 23 hours a day.) During my turn for one hour a day out of lock down, my cell door opened and I began to walk down the range (hallway,) toward the shower and phone and two cells down from mine I saw a young Hispanic male who was hanging from the neck by a piece of cut bed sheet - I immediately yelled at the top of my lungs Suicide, Suicide, Open The Door, Open The Door So I Can Try And Save Him I Yelled.

The sheriffs wouldn't open his door and told me to return to my cell, which I did, and they then came to cut the bed sheet and lower that young man's body to the ground - I still wonder if they had opened the door, when I yelled for them to open it, would I have been able to save him, would he still be alive today.

After the sheriffs failed attempt to save him, they then opened all the cells doors for all in mates at the same time (as it was time for lunch,) I HAD TO STEP OVER TOP OF THIS YOUNG MAN'S DEAD BODY, IN ORDER FOR ME TO GO TO THE CHOW HALL TO EAT LUNCH.

?AFTER LUNCH WAS OVER, I AGAIN HAD TO STEP OVER THIS DEAD BODY LYING IN THE RANGE (hallway,) TO GO BACK TO MY CELL AND BE LOCKED DOWN. FOR THE REST OF MY TIME THERE AT THE SAN BERNARDINO JAIL I THOUGHT ABOUT THE DISREGARD FOR THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE THESE SHERIFF DUPUDTIES HAD - IF THEY ONLY OPENED THE DOOR WHEN I YELLED, THAT BOY WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY.

THE BENEFITS OF WHITE PRIVELLGE, while living in Los Angeles I got pulled over by police a few times for minor traffic offences and each time that I did, I got treated with respect, politeness, and professionalism (as was driving alone.) But I will never, ever forget the experience of being pulled over in a car (I was a passenger in,) and the driver was Black a friend/co-worker of mine from the restaurant we worked at. The police order me "Passenger stick both hands out the window, now cross your right arm over your left arm and open the door using your left hand from the outside" - the officer said.

Once out of the car I was ordered to get down on my knees, then down on both hands and knees and crawl toward the officer, while he had his gun pointed at my head. My black friend later told me that has happened to him more than once because he was "Driving While Black."

One day in the city of Vancouver, where I currently live, I said to a First Nations Man, who was staying at the same shelter as I was at the time, "Careful You're About to Sit on Your Sandwich." He looked at me and yelled "Don't Fucking Talk to Me, I Hate All White People."

I was stunned and speechless, how can you hate me, you don't even know me I thought. The only thing he knew was I was white and that was enough for him - to hate me.

These are just a few of the experiences that have shaped me and helped me become the caring person for others, that I am today.

?