Quick collage

Here’s the thing.  I’ve lived in Chicago my entire life.  MY Chicago is very different from the Chicago of some OTHERS, simply because I’m WHITE and was raised on the Northwest side.  I was raised to NOT see the differences in people but to be accepting and open to everyone.  That was great but it blinded me to the different treatment others were forced to endure.  I thought everyone’s life was like mine.  I didn’t know anything about racism, or discrimination, when I was growing up.  I didn’t know people in our neighborhood hated my grandparents because they were Italian.  I didn’t know anything and my friends came from everywhere, so I was uninformed and innocent.  I believed everyone was the same and that everyone was okay.  I didn’t know people were struggling, poor, or sad.  Maybe no one explained those things to kids, I’m not sure.

When…