22 December, 2020

It’s because of Emersyn: Jaccob and Kylie Slavin’s love for their child shifted their reality

https://theathletic.com/1958173/

Even casual interactions with friends often include moments where Emersyn’s otherness is apparent. Like that day in a coffee shop when one of Kylie’s acquaintances noted how cute Emersyn was and added: “I want one.” All Kylie could think was, no, adopting a Black child is not some trend, her daughter is not an accessory there to be dehumanized.

They are quick to fire back questions that challenge the faulty premises they once didn’t recognize. Why would you assume that? Why did you feel the need to ask that question? What did you mean by that? They can’t let the microaggressions go unchecked.

They don’t go around calling people racist, either. That’s not the point. They just want to make people aware of their implicit biases, their unintentionally offensive commentary and even bigoted perspectives. They want to have the conversations because people need to think about these things.