Growing up as a white woman in southern Saskatchewan can definitely have its advantages. One major area where I notice a difference in the way people are treated because of their skin colour is when it comes to shopping in stores. When I go to the store as a white person I never have to worry about being followed, or questioned mainly because of my skin colour. I am not suspected to be the person that is stealing or causing trouble. I am not the person that makes the workers just keep an “eye” on well I go through self-checkout. We hear stories after stories of people being followed or watched for no apparent reason, yet it still happens. This is a controversial issue, and only people that can change this problem are the people causing it. I am blessed, and truly thankful I do not have to worry about these things. My race is hidden when I go shopping, my race is not a factor when I go to the store, my race is not even considered when I’m at the store just buying my family milk, and eggs. Yes, I am thankful for all these things, yes, I am privileged, and I notice that. I am aware of these issues, and I will continue to be thankful and fight for changes to be made.

I believe everyone has experienced racism or some type of discrimination in their lives. I am not trying to compare my experiences to some of the awful, awful experiences that come with racism, but I have felt discrimination because of gender. I have felt racism towards myself in the community I come from. Growing up in Balcarres is different from a lot of small towns. We are very diverse; with 4 surrounding reserves, we have a large majority of Indigenous people in our community. My race may not stand out in the big city, or in university, but it definitely did in high school. Being one of the very few White females in my class I experienced discrimination being a part of the minority. I know I am a grain in the sand, and people feel these ways every day, but i think people need to know that discrimination works in many ways.  I believe anybody can be subject to discrimination; whether its race, gender, or age. We all need to accept each other for our differences and be willing to change our ways for the better.