Black Girl

Right now, our group is in Mexico City, and we are having a wonderful time. This is the closest I have been to being in a city like New York (a place I also want to visit) and I think it is so cool here! There is such a big-city energy and the people seem very hip. It's interesting to be here and see all these super-old buildings and then right next to them are these very old, old buildings.

There aren't many blacks in Mexico (except en la Costa Chica) and I am extremely conspicuous here. Of course, I'm traveling with a super-group of Americans, but I'm also a large woman with braids. It's strange and very jarring to people here. I've heard that Mexico isn't all that welcoming to blacks, and I can understand that. But since I prefer to judge people on their individual treatment of me I feel okay. And I kind of welcome the stares. If I walk into an all-white establishment in the South, the stares are kind of ominous. Here, they are curious. There is a big difference and it's fine with me; all part of my experience here in Mexico.

As our group was walking down the street I saw another African American woman. It was funny to see the relief on both our faces, we smiled and said, "hi!" It was nice.

The picture is of me in front of one of Diego's murals, at the National Palace. Funny, those "indigenous people" are almost as dark as me!

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