The Racist Friends We Need to Leave Behind
Some people hide their racism, but no matter how long they try to repress it, it eventually comes out
My husband and I have been together for 27 years. He is white, and I am Black. When we met, we were surprised to learn that many of our friends were racist. At first, we tried to change their views but soon realized that was an impossible task.
We made new friends and deeply enjoyed and valued our genuine bonds. When I think back to pre-Covid-19 times, I recall our parties, all of our children playing and laughing together — for me, a vision of the future of humankind. It’s what I most miss in these lockdown times.
But I still think back to the early days of our relationship, when our childhood friends tried to dissuade us from dating and living together.
My husband’s twin friends — David and Mark — appeared to accept me in the beginning. They were interested in world politics and globalization and often volunteered at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. I was fascinated by their accounts of the meeting. They spent weeks in Davos every January assisting in the setup of the forum. They would come across some of the most influential politicians, business people, diplomats, writers, and economists worldwide. I…
