All tagged racism

Processing January 6, 2021

Processing January 6, 2021

Cat Watson

So, are we awake yet? There have been and will continue to be many, many words written about the events of January 6, 2021. I have already seen it written that it will be a day remembered in the history books and seared into our national collective memory akin to 9/11 and the Oklahoma City bombing. I have no doubt about that. Similarly, I remember sitting at our kitchen table eating out of a box of Cheese-Its as President Clinton was impeached in ‘98. I was 12 years old and I remember not understanding why my mom looked so grave. I don’t remember any of the coverage, just that image of my mother as his impeachment was announced.

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges

Cat Watson

60 years ago today 6 year old Ruby Bridges walked to elementary school in New Orleans, escorted by US Marshals for her protection, while white parents and students screamed at her and refused to participate because of her presence. All but one teacher refused to teach her. She was one of only six students that had passed a test given to Black students in order to provide a metric of who to allow in to the all white schools, the test was administered in the hopes that it would continue to keep Black students out (the same tactics that were used to keep Black people from voting.)

A seat at the table

A seat at the table

Cat Watson

My dad and I broke the legs off of the spice covered crabs and dipped the white meat in melted butter, our fingers covered in a mixture of Old Bay, vinegar and said butter. My nose began to itch, just like it does when I'm washing the dishes and I don't have a dry hand to appease the persistent, annoying prickle. My kids were running around somewhere, their bodies encased in a layer of sweat and earth and sugar...