Status Symbols

Austin, TX | 2022 © Alicia Kae Miller

I had a compelling conversation with a dear friend not too long ago.

As we sipped coffee and chatted about being grateful for coming of age in rural America, our conversation sharply diverged when he proceeded to tell me how authority figures in his community asked him on more than one occasion about his status.

I do not mean to imply whether he was single or not; I mean his immigration status.

His response to their inquiry gave me a chuckle. My California-born, raised in east Texas friend would sarcastically respond with "I have a green card" and then pull a kelly green bank card out of his wallet.

I wholeheartedly recognized the strength of his character at that moment.

Due to white privilege, I have never once had to prove my status (other than at US customs after traveling abroad) because the general assumption is that I am an American, unlike my friend.

Like so many others, his truth-tell troubles me and has me reflecting on Native Daughter, where I suggest that we all come from somewhere else and at what point do we belong?

My friend chose to risk his safety by deflecting the pain of humiliation through humor. I must ask, if this happened to you, how would you respond?

Since we are all human, our responses will be individually different. However, a lack of inclusion and a sense of belonging is relatable to all of us.

Until we meet again, recall that we have more in common than not. ❤️

Yours in Solidarity, -akm

May 2022

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