I was very much complimented last night when I was standing with a group of my teenagers at Tae Kwon Do and they were complaining about some annoying white people. For reference, you should know that 90% of my school are Black kids. It may sound rude to not say African American, but they always seem annoyed when somebody refers to them as that instead of Black. They'll make a sing-song voice and repeat African American as they roll their shoulders and eyes. So, I just say Black.
Anyway, I piped up when I heard their minor mockery of "some white dude" with a reminder that I was white - and that hopefully their opinion of me was not in the same sarcastic vein. They turned to me with a slightly surprised look in their eyes and said, "oh no, you're half-Black." I asked how that could possibly be as I held out my very pale arms. Observing this, they reconsidered. "OK, you're all Black with white skin. Kinda like an albino Black."
Coming from them, that was an eye watering compliment that I very much took to heart. After working with them for several years, they knew that I wasn't just some instructor that was coming in to teach and go home. I was there for them and their future.
