Within James Baldwin’s speech, he touches upon numerous examples that help to better magnify his overall point: A teacher’s duty is to educate the children within their care, to help illuminate the truths of the society in which they find themselves and to help foster the potential that every single child truly has, regardless of race. On the first page, the transcript reads “The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions…” The way that this nation was built was made to ensure that there will almost always be racial indifferences within all aspects, whether it be educational, occupational or simply relational. Along with this, we are all pushed in the direction of eliminating our sense of individualism from an early age. Individualism and the curiosity that can spark from it poses a threat to the collective whole of the nation. No child or adult has ever been taught the truths of our collective or separate histories. We learn what we are seemingly required to know, passing over the grey areas or the areas that are not as easy to learn about, given their brutal or uneasy nature. One’s time in education shouldn’t be having to learn of false narratives; it should instead be a time to think for one’s self and truly learn about the things around them, developing their morality and personal knowledge.

I feel obligated to learn more about the inequalities that exist in both education and the healthcare system as it relates to black and brown people finding it significantly more difficult to obtain proper treatment and overall care. Being that my mom is a medical assistant, I always had a mild interest in the details of healthcare. I wish I was told early on that it isn’t as clear-cut as being able to simply walk into an office or school and simply apply for the same benefits as someone with a lighter skin tone.