#NotMyAriel: Reflections of Growing Up in a World That Favors Whiteness.

Abstract

* Abbreviation: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics > Welcome to the first article in the newest Monthly Feature, “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” The articles included in this feature will highlight areas in which bias, discrimination, racism, and inequity have impacted the health and wellbeing of children and their families. “#NotMyAriel: Reflections of Growing Up in a World That Favors Whiteness” eloquently captures the spirit and intent of this new feature. As leaders in our communities, we have the privilege and responsibility to be forces for change. Everyone benefits when we take a moment to see something from another person’s perspective, and as we learn from one another, we become better equipped to work together. We hope that through the articles presented in this new Monthly Feature, we can continue, or sometimes begin for the first time, to see our world through different lenses and collaborate to create a more equitable future. Please see the Author Guidelines for information about submission to the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Monthly Feature (https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/page/author-guidelines). > > Allison Lopez, Editor > > Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion #NotMyAriel, they tweeted last July when Disney announced the casting of a Black actress as Ariel in the live-action version of the Little Mermaid. Reading these tweets, I was transported back to my younger self, wishing I could trade my dark skin and thick black hair for an alabaster complexion, blonde hair, and blue eyes. I painfully recalled the first guy I dated and the mockery from his friends. “How could you find her attractive? She’s so dark.” Following the tragic killing of George Floyd, my twitter feed now abounds with #Blacklivesmatter, #diversitymatters, and #antiracism, a stark contrast to the racist rhetoric that fueled #notmyariel, only a year before. I wonder, will this be the moment that racism becomes all of our … Address correspondence to Monique Jindal, MD, Harriet Lane Clinic, 200 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21224. E-mail: mjindal2{at}jhmi.edu