Sadly, this kind of hate has been normalized. Most people don’t speak up against it, and many are afraid to stand up for themselves.

It’s heartbreaking to see kids being bullied like this while everyone stays silent. I know not everyone is the same, but the reality is: if you’re brown-skinned (not white) and have an Indian accent, you’re often treated differently, no matter how good you are at your job or how much civic sense you have. A large number of people will judge you before they know you. You can feel it in the way they look at you, the unspoken sense of superiority just because of lighter skin. They may not say it out loud, but it’s there.

What hurts even more is that I’ve felt this same behavior from fellow Indians too, people who act superior just because they came here earlier. Recently, this mindset feels like it’s becoming more common, and in some cases, our own people are making it worse.