Lara McCulloch

Transcript

many years ago I was asked to give a talk in the southern us and my husband Michael who had never been decided to come along well as our plane landed in the warm Southern breezes we couldn't help but to imagine the river of sweet tea and Southern Hospitality that would await us little did we know our adventure was about to take a sharp turn we headed to the taxi stand and were directed to a cab and as we approached we were laughing and smiling excited for this new adventure and as we approached the cab driver took one look at us me a white woman and

Michael a black man and told us to find another cab surprised I said but why we were just directed to you and he responded with you're not welcome in my cab the reason was unspoken but his words were crystal clear I wish I could say differently but I stood there with my mouth open all of the words I imagine saying in a moment like that escape me but Michael was a lot more seasoned to this type of thing and he said are you not taking us because I'm black the cab driver looked at him with a smile on his face and said you are not

getting into my cab find another one I found my voice and I marched back to the taxi stand and in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear I said your cab driver won't take us because my husband is black he Shrugged you know what I would remember most about that moment it wasn't just the words of the cab driver it wasn't the look of sadness and anger and humiliation in Michael's face it was the feeling of total helplessness when I looked at the all-white crowd who were waiting for their cabs I was hoping to make eye contact with someone anyone who could offer help

or at least a human connection and every single one of them diverted their eyes to the floor to their phones to anything but the uncomfortable situation in front of them it was easier for them to look away so they could go on with their day I will never forget that moment but life goes on two years later Michael and I would have our beautiful son Anderson six emotional failed fertility attempts and we finally had our miracle baby I love that boy more than anything in the world and to this day I go into his room every night and I watch his chest rise and fall

as he sleeps and I think to myself I will do everything in my power to make sure that he has the best life possible but as he gets older I realize how challenging that will be he said things to me like Mommy why does everybody touch my hair we've had friends of the family who have said you are going to be an amazing basketball Superstar when you grow up even though he's never played a game in his 11 years it is a constant reminder that many people don't see the incredible boy who will hold open a door for everybody leaving a store or the boy

who will give away all of his treats to his friends even if it means he doesn't get any himself they only see the shell I wish that I could blissfully celebrate my son's Milestones like many of you in this room who look like me but as a mother of a half black son with every growth Milestone comes the worry of what's next and the decision of whether or not to shatter my son's innocence to prepare him for the inevitable days that he will experience racism or just let him be a child well one of those days came a few few months ago when my son

was playing on the playground at school and a child ran up to him and said you're you're a monkey and I hate brown people my son stood in the exact same position as father had just 12 years before what's very sad about this moment is that Michael would unexpectedly pass away just months before he could help his son through this milestone but instead of silence my son's best friend who was standing beside him said hey that's not okay and another kid helped him to tell the principal and many more rallied around him in support silence was replaced by a powerful chorus of solidarity I share

this story with you because I have no choice but to care about racism because my son's life depends on it I want all of you in this room to care even if you don't have to and to speak up because an army of black voices isn't enough to drown out the Silence of apathy silence ends where your voice begins and you say hey that's not okay thank you

Transcript generated from the recording and lightly cleaned. Some names and wording may differ from the spoken speech.