Candy and Candy

                                                Candy and  Candy
When I was in the 10th grade I went to Green Pound, Alabama to visit my friend Candy.  This is the dirt road, dark, KKK, part of Alabama.  This trip was important to me because I learned a lot about racial issues and formed some of my opinions on racial discrimination that still exists today in our society. 
I was a black girl in the south and my best friend Candy was white. I was only there for a few minutes when I was verbally told to leave by Candy’s grandfather who lived down her road.  He also called me the "N" word. Candy's  mom redirected him and he did not come out of his  home the  rest of the week.  When we went out people just looked at us with disgusted faces.  Candy was crazy and yelled at a lot of people.  She told them they were “ignorant and asked them if they had a problem with seeing a black and white person eat dinner together.”
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The first night my mom called me and asked if they were burning the crosses yet? (LOL she was playing  around but we knew this was a reality that could happen).  I said no but ironically I planned to meet a KKK  member that night.  He was a 15 year old boy whose family was in the KKK and his family wanted him to join. Candy invited  him to try to convince him not to be in the KKK.  He hung out with me and found out that I was a cool person like him.  He was glad he had this opportunity to meet me and spend time with someone who is black.  He said his family is the reason he is faced with the decision to be in the KKK and that I may have helped him to understand the KKK is not the best thing for him.  I felt so good helping him.  However, I was still in a small town where people told and showed their feelings to my face. There weren’t any secrets down south.  I guess for some people the truth hurts. However, I liked the honesty and respected it.  I still do because I knew what the people thought and felt there and here I do not always know because people hide their true feelings in the north. The trip ended up being a learning experience and a lot of fun.  I went home from this trip loving country music and loving Alabama.

Candy is still fighting racism in Alabama. She came to CCSU for my graduation when I finished grad school.  She was still preaching about ignorant people. I think she always will be because we still have a long way to go.  I will be doing the same and telling my story until I am old and gray to my grandchildren because I know God kept me alive to tell  this story.