Confession #6

I did my dietetic internship in the Midwest, 19 years ago. During my renal rotation, my preceptor told me she could not take me with her to visit a clinic in a rural town. She apologized but matter-of-factly said “The people there are old-fashioned and won’t accept you.” I’m Indian, and this was a year after 9/11, so I understood. That was the sad part. Though I was slightly upset, I “understood.” I was accustomed to this type of racism because I had experienced it my whole life without questioning it. I’ve always known that there are parts of this country where I will never be accepted.