So today at school, I was talking to my youth about community service projects and I asked my 7/8th Grade Leadership class if they had heard of Cesar Chavez. I had no idea the next few seconds would ruin my day completely. In a classroom full of students, one of my 8th grade (Latino) students replied with a huge sh*t-eating grin on his face, “Some Beaner…”

Mind you, I teach my youth daily about the importance of respect, responsibility and making good decisions in regards to how they want their lives to go. Literally right after he said it, I could see in his eyes he knew his ass was done for. I made him come with me to my office and told him that I have never been more disappointed in him and that what he’d said made me feel literally sick. I explained to him that if not for Cesar Chavez, he might not be able to walk the streets of America with any dignity. I also explained that he was privileged living in Marin and that some of the Richmond/Oakland Xicanos I grew up with wouldn’t take kindly to an El Salvadorian kid calling Cesar Chavez a “Beaner.” 

I told this young 13-year old that the only way he could avoid suspension from my program, a trip to the Principal’s Office for a call home and a week of detention, was for him to write an essay entitled, “Why I Should Never Have Disrespected Cesar Chavez,” chronicling his life and times. 12 pt font, double spaced, spelling & grammar = error free.

This particular student has had a number of disciplinary issues this year, but I have known him for 3 years and he is actually a great kid who was just trying to look cool for the young ladies in his class. He tries to act hard, but sometimes I need to remind him, “‘Member a few years ago when you slipped on a piece of dog sh*t, fell on your ass, everyone laughed at you, and you cried??? Drive slow homie.” (With Middle Schoolers, sometimes you gotta pull they card blud. *SIGH*)

So this one’s for you little brother. A coward redneck calling me nip/jap/chink/gook doesn’t hurt me as deeply as seeing racism internalized in people of color themselves. Even though you’ll never read this, here’s some more info on the wonderful, heroic man you sh*tted on today.

Much love, your big brother Senbei