Ray Allen shares story about his son thinking he was white to explain how racism is taught
Breaking down America’s racial dynamics is a necessary evil for Black parents.
Although no one wants to prematurely kill their child’s innocence, the conversation about race can ultimately be the difference between life or death. It’s a dialogue that happens in every Black household, regardless of socioeconomic status or privilege.
Former Miami Heat veteran Ray Allen attested to this in a recent conversation with Turner Sports’ Ernie Johnson Jr., saying that even his own son used to think he was white.
“Somebody said that he was a black kid and he goes ‘I’m not black, I’m white,’” Allen said.
Allen went on to explain his son’s thought process.
“He’s thinking about the 64 crayons in the Crayola box,” Allen said. “He knows what black looks like. He’s like ‘I’m beige, I’m not black.’ And so I had to explain to him what made us who we are and why we’re black.”
Allen was essentially trying to address how racism can be passed down from generation to generation. He later contended that although the discussion with his now 15-year-old son was rooted in love, it could’ve easily been rooted in hate.
“Each parent has the opportunity to really affect their child in a positive or negative way,” he concluded.
This conversation was only the latest example in Allen’s advocacy. The 44-year-old sharpshooter has been very vocal on social media in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in police custody.
From systemic racism explainer videos to educating his followers about the 13th Amendment, he has consistently used his platform to advocate for change at a time when it’s needed most.
