GOODBYE Michigan Hello Florida. And you think I would be exited nope, not at all. I was just attending the third grade and my mom was ready to leave Michigan. I wasn’t ready for the change though I had just really got adjusted and I couldn’t imagine having to make new friends. I remember the conversation we held in the kitchen that morning. ‘Tay you’re going to have fun, stop over thinking it.” and my last words to her was “Mom you just don’t understand.

I saw that big white and orange truck with the letters in bold saying UHAUL pulling up in the driveway, sweaty big men packing the truck so fast, my mother screaming at my brother on the phone telling him to get home. I just sat there in the living room corner quiet as a mouse watching them just take my life away and put it on the big dumb truck.

It was a painful move that I knew I wasn’t ready for. I knew everything would be different and it was. When we got on the road I was hoping for nothing but the best I put everything behind me and I was preparing myself for what I thought could maybe just be fun.

I was happy when I got to my new house it was so big and pretty and in a nice neighborhood. But then I started to notice everyone who live on my block was white. I knew from there I had a lot of adjusting to get to. My first day of school was horrible I was the center of attention when I walked in I felt like everyone was watching me. I heard the laughter and students mumbling when I walked in. The class rooms were huge and had so much in them other than classroom in Michigan. The teacher was an older white woman she seemed pretty nice. I felt out of place though and I didn’t like that feeling. I stood out from the rest of the kids and I knew it. My first day of school was just a horrible experience.

I cried so many nights because I hated it there I didn’t think my opinion mattered to anyone. I just wanted my old life back with my old friends and in my old neighborhood. So I wouldn’t have to put up with the uppity people I ran across here. I didn’t make any friends I stayed to myself I didn’t play outside much I was always in the house I was beyond stressed there and no one noticed it, and honestly I held it in for so long just to satisfy my mother.

Moving to Florida I experienced something I thought I would never experience in my life. I heard so many racist comments and I got judged all because of my skin color. It was so horrible it just took me back only to imagine what life was like for my people. The most hurting part about all this is that not only were people talking and we weren’t comfortable in certain restaurants they failed me in the third grade. They tried to fail my brother in kindergarten we knew that’s not where we wanted to be. Because back at home I was an honor student and I was really smart and intelligent something couldn’t be right.

It was a change for me and helped me to see that’s not how I want to live. I would never judge someone because of their color I love everyone equal. I hate what I went through but it really helps me to be the person I am today. It’s never too late for change and I’m starting to see it.