Sometimes we are hit the stomach with the very notion that

the skies we thought were shining a brighter blue in the city you were born in

a city you have lived all your life

the skies are still full of cloudiness 

spilling with racism, discrimination and blatant disrespect for humanity

What was a very beautiful celebration with my family this Sunday 

began with the sour and continued realization that the skies are STILL painted

a brighter color for individuals like me (white)

As we waited in line to get to the ballpark to see the game

every individual got through the line except my mother-in-law

who is the cutest, spunkiest 4 foot 11 Chinese woman

who was carrying a purse pretty much the same size

as my own mother

and my sister-in-law Tesin

and yet she was stopped and told that her purse was "too large"

by security and was asked to go back to the car

to put her purse back

We all called it out as an act of discrimination

because why pretend it was something else

we weren't listened to

and truly the only reason my sister-in-law was most likely let through with her purse

was probably because she was sandwiched in-between both my mother and myself (both white)

and so she "appeared" like she was with our group

As someone who has extended family members who are from China and Kerala, India

all of which have been discriminated against time and time again

enough is enough

stand up, call out blatant acts of discrimination 

and work to makes the skies a little less cloudy

Because if we aren't all working together

the skies will never be painted with anything but

cloudy

This post is for my husband, my "little sister" Jenny, my sister, Tesin, her brothers and all of my in-laws

You deserve better

You deserve to be celebrated 

You deserve to be treated with respect

You deserve to be loved

because YOU are what make Pittsburgh's skies a brighter blue.