I walked down to the lunchroom as I had a million times before, quivering as always. My hoodie was thick and my accent thicker as I whispered to myself that I could do this today, disregard the rest of the population and just be me; a normal Mexican female.

A few people snickered as I walked by, but I ignored them. I paced myself to the dwindling line of starving and hormonal teenagers as to not disrupt their egos. Ever since I transferred life has become very distant. People in this country are not as convincingly open as they all deem themselves.

Once I made it to the line, almost everyone was gone. The lunch lady smiled at me, happy as could be to feed the last person. The next step was what was the hardest.

Seemingly red and embarrassed at how long it took me to get through the line, I raced to a nearby chair and plopped into it. I began to chew through my meal, eager to finish and leave, as a few white females and males surrounded me.

“This is our table, Anchor Baby , beat it,” threatened one. I continued to eat my meal. After all, this is a free country.

“Did you hear me, BMW ? You are taking up too much space! Get out of my air!” This insult may have pushed me too far if the girl talking hadn't. I crashed to the floor, meal and all. Furious and terrified, I stormed away. I didn't want to risk my parents being frustrated or the school getting rid of me. I had far too much to worry about than that.

They continued on with the racial slurs as I ran to the library. In there, I felt at home. Books connect lives and help people understand others, which is why I was alone in that room that day. The librarian came up to me, knowingly frowned, and hugged me. She too was a woman of oppression, however in different ways.

We stood among the strongest willed of them all, in a room of terrors and troubles and wisdom. Serenity filled me, and I cried for them, for my librarian, and for myself.

I write this for you, dearest Reader, for your very own wisdom and capability of knowing and seeing with your own two eyes what is wrong and what is right. I urge you to speak for those who cannot.