I’m Hispanic and I live in a ‘white’ community, but I’ve never felt out of place

Across the nation, the American South carries a stigma that makes it seem like a country of its own. The stereotypes are numerous. Our cities are dictated by close-minded individuals. The radios twang out racial slurs. Minorities constantly find themselves being fought against, while those who aren’t of color find themselves oppressed by the ever-growing population of immigrants.

Though I may be exaggerating a bit, the unfortunate truth is that the South has been portrayed as a very divided place. I find this to be complete and utter nonsense and, while there are exceptions, the South holds some of the most welcoming and non-discriminating communities I have had the pleasure of being a part of.

Being both a female and Hispanic, I am quite familiar with the feeling that I do not fit in certain social situations. In the South, sometimes that feeling can be intensified – I will be the first to admit this. Even walking around a town I’ve lived in the majority of my life, I can feel like an outsider.

Because of the traditional values that many residents hold, change can be difficult. I went to a high school that, in 1968, was the all-black school of our small community. Even today, nearly 50 years later, the majority of the students that attend the school are minorities. Several of the other schools across the county are the same way, but the others are mostly composed of white students.

The rivalry between the schools is often based purely off of racial discrimination. Though division is what you would expect in any high school, what was always obvious to me was the fact that the majority of students in the honors courses were white – I was an exception. Even in these classes, I felt as though I was out of place. I found that most of my friends were white. I didn’t really fit in with one group or another, because I fell somewhere in the middle.

During the fall of my senior year, my sister and I took a trip to Boone, NC, to tour Appalachian State, the only school I had any interest in attending, despite it being known in my community as a “white” school. This obviously remained in the back of my mind as we drove up Route 421. But that thought was soon forgotten as soon as I toured the campus.

Students waved, smiled and yelled “come to App!” the entire time. When we got to Sanford Mall, students were slacklining, reading, or just talking with one another. When the tour was over, my sister pointed out that she only counted a handful of students of color – the rest were white.

It was a thought that hadn’t even occurred to me, though it has its own place in the back of my mind. I never felt out of place, despite the fact that I didn’t even have a place at the school yet, even in a region in which change is so heavily pushed away.

Much like anywhere else, the South is diverse. There are some areas that may take to a belief or social change more than another. We are not a bunch of rednecks opposed to every person with a different idea than ours.

What we are is a diverse group of strong-willed people, with beliefs that are difficult to shake – but that doesn’t mean we won’t welcome you with open arms and a hot plate of grits.