• Latest
  • Trending
children

What My White Mother Taught Me About Being Brown

May 26, 2017
jesus statue Christ the Redeemer

Why Is There Christianity If Jesus Was Jewish?

September 21, 2023
JoAnne Epps

Temple University Acting President JoAnne Epps Dies Suddenly on Campus

September 20, 2023
UMC Bishop Minerva Carcano in a 2008 file photo

UMC Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño Suspended, Faces Church Trial

September 20, 2023
doctors

Just 2 Percent of US Doctors Are Latina. These Women Want That to Change.

September 20, 2023
COGIC Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard

Head of Major Black Christian Group Backtracks on Mormon Partnership, Apologizes for Causing ‘Discontent’

September 18, 2023
Slavery memorial at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Christian Seminary Founded by Enslavers Thankful for Forced, Unpaid Labor

September 18, 2023
Kirk Franklin and Richard Hubbard

Kirk Franklin Finally Finds His Birth Father After 53 Years

September 18, 2023
Pastor Kevin Smith

Pastor Kevin Smith Is First Black Man in SBC Org’s History to Serve as Chairperson

September 18, 2023
vehicle car

Here’s How to Donate a Car to Charity and Write It Off as a Tax Deduction

September 13, 2023
Tony Evans and Carla Crummie engaged to be married

Dr. Tony Evans Engaged to Former Pastor’s Wife and Widow Four Years After Lois Evans’ Death

September 12, 2023
Haiti

Christians Plea for Prayer, Help Amid Haiti’s Surging Gang Violence

September 12, 2023
Coco Gauff prayer

Coco Gauff Talks Faith After US Open Win: I Don’t Pray for Results; I Pray for Strength.

September 12, 2023
Faithfully Magazine
Cart / $0.00

No products in the cart.

  • About
    • Advertise
    • Submit Content
    • Give Via PayPal
  • Q&As
  • Specials
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Events
    • Community Events
    • FM Live Q&As
  • Black Christian Content
  • Log In
Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Submit Content
    • Give Via PayPal
  • Q&As
  • Specials
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Events
    • Community Events
    • FM Live Q&As
  • Black Christian Content
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Faithfully Magazine
Home Inspiration

What My White Mother Taught Me About Being Brown

Heather Day by Heather Day
May 26, 2017
in Inspiration
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
children
ShareTweetPin It

I am biracial. My mother is White and my father is Black. Living within the confined walls of my colorful family, I was always safe. When I was 4, however, my “racial safety helmet” was about to be unfastened. It was then that I was able to begin preschool. I was actually excited to start preschool because my sister was already in the very prestigious second grade, and she was my idol. I would have sold my soul to wrap my fingers around her purple Beauty and the Beast lunch box.

The night before, I remember tossing in my bed, unable to stifle my tiny body into the yellow covers that suffocated me. When I picture it now, I’m wearing my pink silk pajamas. I wore them every night because my mother wore silk pajamas, and I would have given anything to resemble my mommy, who, to me, was my twin. Whether I really wore those pajamas has escaped me now. Time often finds its way into your head. It smooth’s out the edges of your crinkled past and creates this faulty reality of how you interpreted the event.


“Black and white makes gray, Heather,” my friend snapped. I just smiled and began to stir, not even acknowledging her. I became a mad scientist as I threw myself into my work.


The day preschool started I willingly adventured off to my new life chapter. I could have sworn I was a woman as my father walked me down the hallway and through those glass doors, which would in the end, teach me more than school ever would. Once through those doors, I was independent.

Being social, I was excited at the possibility of making new relationships. Once inside those preschool walls, I made my first real friend of my own who wasn’t stuck with me due to a bloodline. We shared our animal crackers during snack time, whispered through our naptime, and quickly became confidants once the initial excitement blew over and we decided we missed our mommies.

RelatedArticles

Chris Broussard and Matthew Daniels

Responding With Restorative Justice

July 28, 2023
holding a globe

‘A Just Mission’ Is Only Dangerous When You Don’t Know How to Listen

April 4, 2023

At the end of the day my mother came to pick me up. I grabbed her hand and proudly introduced her to my “best friend,” and then it happened. In the few moments she left me to go speak to the teacher, I became tainted.

“That can’t be your mom,” my previous confidant blurted nonchalantly, “She’s White.”

I said not a word of the incident to my mother. But as the next morning passed as quickly as it came, I was beginning to become upset at the idea of not yet proving my relationship with my mother to the girl. That was until we were able to paint.

I watched as the other children began their finger-painting portraits. Most of the colors cluttered their hair and clothes rather than the paper itself. Reaching for a bowl, I snatched the black container and fastened my small fingers around its handle. The paint passed like tar as its thick contents consumed my bowl. Reaching for the white paint, I copied my previous motions as I blended the two colors to form one.

“Black and white makes gray, Heather,” my friend snapped. I just smiled and began to stir, not even acknowledging her. I became a mad scientist as I threw myself into my work. The noisy room grew silent as I stirred vigorously and bit my lip while waiting for my master plan to unfold.

“Heather,” my teacher now started in, “black and white does make gray, sweetheart.”

Tears began to stain my cheeks as I stared at the deep gray sky that sat on my table. For an hour I sat, refusing to break my gaze. Not a muscle in my body moved, besides the hand that just kept stirring. As parents began to collect their children, I finally closed the eyes that had for so long never been open at all.

Then my mother came. Compressing me into a tiny ball, I collapsed in her arms. I begged her to never bring me back to this place; never again could I show myself to these people who had stolen my mom from me.

At home, I told my mom of the terrorizing ordeal I had faced all on my own. I could see in her eyes the agony she felt at not being able to save me, as she always had done in the past.

“You can’t paint people,” she said, as she began the speech that would explain that skin and paint are two separate entities.

“How do I prove to the kids at school that you are my mom from now on?” I asked her.

“Well,” she began, “you just look them in the eyes and tell them, ‘because I said so.’”

When I told this story to my kids at summer camp years ago, it hit me in a completely new light. How often do you think Satan approaches God saying, “They aren’t yours? Look at them! They look nothing like you!”

And then I can see my God just smile. “Trust Me,” He says while shaking His head, “They are mine. They’re all mine.” And then He raises His nail-scarred hands, looks the devil straight in the eyes and says, “Because I said so.”


Heather Thompson Day is a lecturer for Southwestern Michigan College, Purdue Tech University, and Ferris State University. She is the author of five Christian books and writer for The Spilled Milk Club. Facebook her, or check her out on Instagram.


Share This Post

Share via

Share This Post

  • Digg
  • Tumblr
  • Flipboard
  • SMS
More
  • Report
Advertisement
Ancestry US
ShareTweetPin It
Heather Day

Heather Day

Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She is the author of six Christian books, including "Confessions of a Christian," and writer for Imthatwife.com.

More Features

Chris Broussard and Matthew Daniels
Inspiration

Responding With Restorative Justice

July 28, 2023
holding a globe
Inspiration

‘A Just Mission’ Is Only Dangerous When You Don’t Know How to Listen

April 4, 2023
Everything Everywhere All At Once. (A24 Films)
Inspiration

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ & the Absurdity of Love as Resistance

April 23, 2022

Discussion about this post

Most Shared Articles

  • Can Money-Making Microgrids Empower Black Churches to Close the Clean Energy Gap?...
  • Kirk Franklin Finally Finds His Birth Father After 53 Years...
  • Dr. Tony Evans Engaged to Former Pastor’s Wife and Widow Four Years After Lois Evans’ Death...
  • Coco Gauff Talks Faith After US Open Win: I Don’t Pray for Results; I Pray for Strength....
  • Newark Pastor Timothy Huff Left in Critical Condition After Being Shot in Home...
  • Churches Asked to Ring Bells in Remembrance of Little Girls Killed in Birmingham Church Bombing...

From The Archive

folded magazine
Evergreen

Relevant Christian Magazines for Women, Kids, and Teens

by Tabitha Oyewole
March 15, 2021
Emanuel Samson was accused of opening fire at Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch in Tennessee, killing one and inuring six others
Crime

Was Dylann Roof Charleston Attack Motive in Tennessee Church Shooting?

by FM Editors
September 30, 2017
Annular eclipse
Features

Researchers Find Extra-Biblical Evidence for Joshua’s ‘Solar Eclipse?’

by FM Editors
October 30, 2017
aaron dean charged with murder
Crime

Fort Worth Cop Aaron Dean Charged With Murdering Atatiana Jefferson

by FM Editors
October 14, 2019
DACA protest dreamers immigration
Uncategorized

Trump Calls for DACA Deal to Protect Dreamers, Angers Supporters

by FM Editors
September 14, 2017
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram
Faithfully Magazine

Faithfully Magazine is a news and culture publication centered on Christian communities of color.

Recent News

  • Why Is There Christianity If Jesus Was Jewish?

Category

© 2023 Faithfully Media, LLC (Owner and Operator)

  • News
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Inspiration
  • Web Exclusives
  • Specials
  • Shop
  • Events
    • FM Live Events
    • Community Events
  • Black Christian Content Links
  • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Submit Content
    • Give Via PayPal
  • Log In to Your Faithfully Magazine Partner Account
No Result
View All Result

© 2023 Faithfully Media, LLC (Owner and Operator)

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

*By registering on our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Share via

Share This Post

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • Copy Link
  • Tumblr
  • Digg
  • Flipboard
  • SMS

Add New Playlist

Log In

Sign In

Login with Facebook
Login with Twitter
Forgot password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Back to Login

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Accept

Add to Collection

  • Public collection title

  • Private collection title

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
Send this to a friend