Monday, October 8, 2007

Brown Bay/ la bahía de color

I was traveling on the Bart and I noticed, with great joy, that I was surrounded by people of color. In the station, on the seats all around me, walking up the stairs, enjoying their lattés amd their phos, and all the other good stuff that is so much a part of daily life, we were all united in not being any of the washed white waves of this continent. Indigenous, Asian, Latino, African-American, so much variety, so welcome to my eyes. Here no one has told me not to speak Spanish, no one has berated me because my hips are too large or my hair is not fashionably whatever. Here my differences are welcomed, my diversity is a matter of joy. When a local African-American representative from the utilities company visited to ask about things that I could put in my apartment for energy savings, when he asked what languages I spoke and I mentioned French among them, he immediately responded in French~ we became buddies, amies, a twinkle and a sourire...

Ah, my lovely Bay of the infinite spice of life...

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