#soulbite

This summer, Amherst Soul will feature various “Soulbites,” brief reflections on personal and social themes experienced by contributors.

Matt Randolph ‘16

Every day that passes here in Chile, I become more afraid of that inevitable day when I'll be on a plane heading back to the U.S. With every news story that pops up on Facebook, I'm even more afraid to go back to a country of such intense racial division and hate.

I have seen in Latin America that it is possible to develop a nation of united citizens despite skin color. I hope that my country can follow the path of other countries for once instead of perpetuating a false image of its supposed superiority that contradicts the lived domestic experiences of its citizens.

I have this dream that I'll come back to the U.S. and everyone will start seeing each other as fellow countrymen, as brothers, and sisters. I've seen what's possible with each country I've traveled to. I'm not sure if that's a dream worth believing in, but it's all I've got left.

This post was inspired from an excerpt from a Facebook status by the author.