Hi everyone,

I just… I really need to get this off my chest. Lately, the weight of all the racism happening around me—and directed at people who look like me—has been crushing. I feel like minorities, especially women like me, are constantly under attack, and sometimes it just gets to a point where it’s hard to breathe. No one really wants to talk about it, or if they do, it’s sugar-coated or turned into a debate about “both sides” or “it’s not that bad.” But the truth? It’s worse than anyone wants to admit.

Every day, it feels like we’re reminded that we don’t belong somewhere or that we’re somehow less than. I scroll through social media, and there’s another story—another video—of someone being treated unfairly, harassed, or worse, and it hits different when you see yourself in those situations. It makes me anxious just thinking about going out, about interacting with certain spaces, about how I’m perceived in ways I never chose. There’s this constant background hum of worry in my head: “Did they mean that comment? Are they looking at me like that because of my skin?”

Even at work, school, or in casual settings, the microaggressions pile up. The jokes, the “harmless” comments, the assumptions about my abilities or intelligence—it all sticks. And the thing is, you try to speak up, but then people either dismiss you or act like you’re overreacting. It’s exhausting. Sometimes I feel like I’m walking around with this invisible weight pressing down on me, and there’s no one to share it with who really understands.

I know anxiety isn’t just about what’s happening outwardly—it’s how it digs into your mind, makes you question your worth, your safety, your place in this world. And let me tell you, racism does that. It gets under your skin in ways you can’t always explain. It’s not just being called names or being treated unfairly—it’s the constant awareness that, because of your race, there are people ready to judge, attack, or dismiss you at any moment.

I wish more people would just acknowledge it, talk about it openly, and stop pretending like it’s something minor or “overblown.” Because for those of us living it, it’s very real—and it hurts. It’s scary. And it does bring anxiety.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this. If anyone else feels the same, I hope you know you’re not alone.

—Megan