March 21 — A Day to Remember
March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, established by the United Nations in remembrance of the events in Sharpeville in 1960.
This is not just a symbolic date.
It exists because racism has had real consequences.
It has left real wounds.
Time has passed. Societies have evolved.
But some things do not simply disappear.
Instead they change shape, tone, and presentation.
Different Forms, One Root
Racism does not always look the same.
Sometimes it is obvious, direct, sharp, and impossible to ignore.
Other times it is subtle, softened by politeness, hidden in humor, or dismissed as misunderstanding.
The tone may change.
The delivery may soften.
The setting may shift.
But the root remains.
There are levels to racism. And for those who have never had to navigate it, it can be difficult to fully recognize. Not because they lack empathy, but because it has never shaped the way they move through the world.
Racism and Discrimination Are Not the Same
It is important not to confuse the two.
Discrimination can occur for many reasons: age, gender, class, ability. It is unfair. It is harmful. But it still acknowledges the person’s humanity, even while treating them unequally.
Racism goes further.
Racism is rooted in race, and in its deeper forms, it can question belonging and sometimes even humanity itself.
Discrimination may exclude.
Racism can dehumanize.
That distinction matters.
And understanding it allows us to listen more carefully and respond with greater awareness.
What I Observed
Over time, many have asked me whether Spain is a racist country. In response, I once shared a reflection about the different kinds of people I have personally encountered:
1. Those who, whether consciously or not, hold racist views toward races outside their own.
2. Those who remain neutral, neither actively rejecting nor actively supportive.
3. Those who genuinely embrace diversity and hope to see society grow.
My experience in a small town in Andalucía has moved mostly within the first two categories.
This is not an accusation.
It is simply my lived experience.
Every story is different.
This one happens to be mine.
And Still — Hope
And still, this is not where the story ends.
Because I have also met people who listen.
People who ask questions with sincerity.
People who choose understanding over defensiveness.
People who recognize that acknowledging racism is not an attack on a country,
but an opportunity to strengthen it.
Spain is layered.
So am I.
Growth does not begin with silence.
It begins with the quiet courage to name what exists
and the humility to grow beyond it.
Racism may take different forms.
But so do love, respect, empathy and understanding.
And I choose to believe this can grow
quietly, steadily, intentionally
until it becomes louder than anything that once tried to silence it.