Real Talk: What I've Learned About Race and Motherhood From Having a Son Who Can 'Pass' as White

When my son was born a little over a year ago, he spent the first week of his life in the NICU. My first thoughts weren't about his skin color. They were focused on whether he would remember to breathe (he stopped once) and whether he was getting enough nutrition and love in the hospital. When we brought him home and started to get used to life as parents, I started the usual mom inspection. Does he look like me? Does he have my nose? Does he have my lips? The one thing he did not have was my skin tone.



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