I hereby ordain that unbelievably horrid experience be totally wiped. Gone. That guy, those people, do not deserve space in your brain.

My best friend, a gorgeous, accomplished Black artist, recently moved to Nairobi to spend her late years (she's almost as old as I am!!) with her American son, the Kenyan family he married into and (99% of the real reason) her grandkids. I miss her desperately; FaceTime time is not easy with the time differences.

However. Whenever my honkey self encounters covert racism (yes, it's everywhere) I can tailor my response by mentally asking What Would Liz Do? (It would never be timid. She would've seconded your dad's advice.)

She also made sure our book group always read Wilkerson, Elizabeth Alexander, Hurston, Walker, Baldwin, all the greats. All of whom should be required reading for all white & mostly-white book groups.

I have been incredibly blessed to have Black (and more than a few enlightened white) friends who helped me recognize the racism that has surrounded me throughout all these decades, and hopefully confront and attack it. I rejoice in small progress, but we sure have a lonnnng way to go.

Thanks for writing this eloquent, important story.

You rock, ToniBabe