A message for you (the adult reads it out loud)

Hi. I want to tell you something.

When I was in school, I saw lots of times that some kids got told things about their skin color, their hair or their eyes. Almost always it was «just a joke». And almost always those kids smiled. But I could tell that inside they were sad.

I've had friends of lots of colors, and I learned something very important: skin color says nothing about what a person is like. What matters is how they treat others: if they're kind, if they tell the truth, if they help you when you need it.

So I'm asking you for something. Call everyone by their name. Play with everyone. And if someone makes fun of another kid because of their color, say «stop!» and stay by their side.

We're all different, and we all deserve respect. All colors are beautiful, and together we're a full box!

With love,
the one who wrote this route

Before you close this route, I want to tell you something about me.

Nobody ever said anything to me about my color. But I've seen it many times: in primary school, in high school, at university, at work, on the street. Almost always as a joke. And almost always the person on the receiving end smiled anyway.

Over the years I learned to pay attention to that smile. There's one that's real and one that's just so as not to look bad. Many times, behind an «it's just a joke», there's someone who feels uncomfortable and says nothing. What's a one-second joke for one person can be a years-long wound for the other.

Outside my home I heard one phrase many times: «it's not like I'm Black». It was said with contempt, as if being Black were something bad. It makes no sense. But a phrase like that, repeated a thousand times, teaches children something that isn't true.

I've met people of many colors and origins: respectful, friendly, trustworthy. I still don't understand why anyone thinks skin color says something about a person. It says nothing. What says who someone is are their values: how they treat others, whether they keep their word, whether they're there when you need them.

That's why, now that you're finishing, I'm asking you for three things. Respect every person, without looking at their color, their hair, their features or where their family comes from. Don't get carried away by what others say: get to know the person before you think anything about them. And when someone tries to put another person lower because of their color or their roots, stop them. Calmly and with few words, but don't stay silent.

We're all equal and we all deserve respect. Skin color doesn't say whether someone is good or bad. Their values do.

Life is too short to miss out on someone valuable because of something nobody chooses.

With love,
the one who wrote this route

Before you close this route, I want to tell you something about me.

Nobody ever said anything to me about my color. But I've seen it many times: in primary school, in high school, at university, at work, on the street. Almost always as a joke. And almost always the person on the receiving end smiled anyway.

Over the years I learned to pay attention to that smile. There's one that's real and one that's just so as not to look bad. Many times, behind an «it's just a joke», there's someone who feels uncomfortable and says nothing. What's a one-second joke for one person can be a years-long wound for the other.

At home I never heard anything like that. There was always a lot of respect, and I've never thought I was better or worse than anyone. But outside I heard one phrase many times: «it's not like I'm Black». It was said with contempt, as if being Black were something bad. I never gave it much thought, because it makes no sense. Today I think that's exactly why we need to notice it: a phrase like that, repeated a thousand times, teaches children something that isn't true.

I've met people of many colors and origins: respectful, friendly, trustworthy. I still don't understand why anyone thinks skin color says something about a person. It says nothing. What says who someone is are their values: how they treat others, whether they keep their word, whether they're there when you need them.

That's why, now that you're finishing, I'm asking you for three things.

Respect every person, without looking at their color, their hair, their features or where their family comes from.

Don't get carried away by what others say. Get to know the person before you think anything about them.

And when someone tries to put another person lower because of their color or their roots, stop them. Calmly and with few words, but don't stay silent.

We're all equal and we all deserve respect. Skin color doesn't say whether someone is good or bad. Their values do.

Life is too short to miss out on someone valuable because of something nobody chooses.

With love,
the one who wrote this route