(In this article on racism, Sr. Lini shares a story about a fellow sister who still feels the effects of discrimination years later. The writer’s questions prompt us to think about how we still discriminate against others. It reminds us of the importance of empathy and listening to help people heal and feel valued again.)
“I was a young religious sister traveling by train in 1960 in Namibia, a territory under South African administration at the time. Due to Apartheid, a system of racial discrimination and segregation unique to South Africa, enforced by white Europeans settled in the region, people were divided into whites and non-whites based on their skin colour. On that particular day, there was no room in our blacks-only carriage, so I moved to the whites-only carriage. Almost instantly, a man charged toward me with furious eyes and red cheeks, demanding to know why I was in a whites-only space.
Shivering, I whispered, ‘There was no place in the blacks-only carriage, that’s why I came here!’ The man threatened violence, shouting, ‘If you don’t move immediately, I will throw you out of the window.’ Terrified, I fled back to the black-only carriage, holding my breath.”
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC
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