Moving to Bainbridge as a mixed-race family, we had consciously decided to trade our proximity to diversity for access to beauty and nature, but the trade left a larger hole than we were expecting. In New York City, exposure to races and ethnicities other than our own was not something we had to work towards. It was part of everyday life walking the streets, taking the subway, or eating out. Out of this exposure came familiarity, respect, connection, and compassion.

In our new beautiful bubble, I worried about how my children would gain such exposure. Given the commonplace fear and ignorance we are seeing in our world, in our community, and even in our local schools, it is imperative to look inward and ask the hard questions.