Apparently as a child, before I even understood race, I was obsessed with Indian women. Mom tells me that as a toddler, we lived in an area with a very high population of Indian and travelor people. And the Indian women often dressed in traditional garb. I would get so excited to see them and wander off from my mom and tell them how beautiful they were and how beautiful their clothes were and I'd ask if I could touch their hair and clothes because it was so new and exciting. They almost always said yes. And even though I don't remember my life as a two year old, those experiences stuck with me. They really shaped a lot of my experiences as I grew up. I dressed up as an Indian princess from one of my favorite books for a book report. I got a diversity scholarship to college. I've felt so much kindness from these immigrants and daughters of immigrants. The only thing I remember is the way that some of the women's dresses felt and jingled in my hands and that they touched my hair and smiled at me. I felt very loved and respected. I've been fortunate to meet a lot of amazing people who have somehow maintained the impossible balance between assimilation and maintaining their culture heritage. Thank you to all of those anonymous women that nurtured me before I could even understand. I also am grateful to all of the black ladies and old ladies who felt comfortable to touch my hair (with permission) and tell me I was beautiful despite me not having traditional white textured hair. It made me feel special and formed a huge part of my identity. Just... Thank you. I wish I knew who you were so I could tell you how much it meant to me