My Story of Privilege

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.

This is a long read but I hope this helps with the conversation that is happening in the US and all over the world. This is a true chapter of my life…written from my heart to yours.

My Story Of Privilege
By: Bob Kim

A gun was about a foot away from my face. A cop car drove right in front of me and I almost hit him head on but my Ninja reflexes allowed me to stop in time. Two cops ran out guns blazing with their flash lights yelling at me and my close friend Tim Clarke to stick out our hands out the window in our neighbourhood at 3 in the morning or so.

That was the scenario that played out. I was calm and relaxed like I usually am but my friend Tim who is also usually calm and relaxed was panicking and was as white as a ghost…and he is a black man. It was at this moment I realized…and not at that time sadly…it was because I was not black.

I know most of you are saying of course you’re not black Bob! But if you really know my story blackness runs deep in my core as a person. My closest friends growing up were either black or brown. Being asian in a predominate black and white neighbourhood…you tried to fit in wherever you could. For me it was the dark skinned kids. They embraced me. In turn I embraced them. I embraced all of it. The music, the clothing, food and their vibrant culture. I was young and impressionable. Yes the white kids liked me but I didnt feel that free love I got from my dark skinned brothers and sisters. All my life I had to learn what it means to be asian…but through it all, I am still a brother with Gold skin. I have matured into my own asian skin but like the saying goes…you can take the man out of Rexdale but you cannot take the Rexdale out of the man.

When the cops rushed us, fear was not something I even thought of at the time even with the barrel of a gun stairing me in the face. I realized just having a black state of mind didnt change the colour of my skin. I always wonder what would have happened if we were both black men. How would our lives played out. I am not saying all cops are bad but the way those two cops ran out their cars, they were super jacked and I could see it all going down hill now. That’s what I think about when another black man gets killed senselessly by a cop.

My asian privilege saved us that day…I honestly believe that to this day. Asian privilege may not be as strong as white but it does have its privileges. I always say asians are the chameleons of all the races because we can usually fit in because we are usually seen as non threatening…especially if you have no accent. Being Asian was the card I was dealt and I am appreciative of the privileges that comes with it. However we all need to help all those around us with no card…I am talking to all my Asian peeps. Racism does run rampant in our community and if you think otherwise then you are just lying to yourself…i can try and justify the racism for all asians…but at the end of the day…racism is racism.

I am going to steal a quote from Monty William’s who is a head coach in the NBA. He borrowed a quote from CS Lewis recently that really made me think. He said “you can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

I hope everyone can start the change in some way. That start is trying to understand those who you fear just because they are different from you. It really is that simple to me. It’s easy to say but so hard to do for many, i also struggle sometimes too because racism is ingrained in all of us from such a young age. Black peeps have always gotten the short end of the stick in pretty much every culture…let’s change this ending. Together.

This is a post in a series of reflections for the Black Lives Matter movement. To read other reflections, please go to the Black Lives Matter page.