Suved Naidu

The Room Was Painted Before You Arrived Someone painted the room long before you walked in. You did not choose the color. You never saw the brush. Still, you sit…

You’ve probably worn one. A small plastic clip on your fingertip at the doctor’s office. A red light glows. A number pops up. 98. You’re fine. Next patient. It feels…

Grab a bandage from your first aid kit. Look at the color. It probably says “skin tone” or “flesh” somewhere on the box. Now ask yourself one question. Whose skin?…

In almost every classroom, there is a box of crayons with a peach-colored crayon inside. For years, children called it “skin color.” Nobody announced that other skin tones were less…

I was walking in New York. A cluster of pigeons scattered near a hot dog cart, and my first instinct was annoyance. Nobody around me even looked twice. They were…

I grabbed a plastic water bottle at a gas station. A stranger glanced at it and said, “That’s basically poison, you know.” Nobody blinked. Bottled water carries a quiet shame…

I have chosen volunteerism as my activity for ARCC because I think volunteering is one of the best uses of my time and my initiative. ARCC can provide me with…

Reacting to the rise of racism in our society has become the major issue for me during my orientation with the Anti-Racism Commitment Coalition (ARCC). As part of this orientation,…