1. What are the unique challenges Cadogan faces as he walks each city (Kingston, New Orleans, and New York City)? What do we learn, indirectly, about each city from Cadogan’s personal experiences? 

We learn that each city is extremely racist and that the people there are almost scared of the black people. New York City police officers were suspicious of black people and stopped them simply because they were black. In New Orleans, the people were scared of black people and assumed that if people were wearing a white shirts and jeans and they were black, they were criminals. The police in both cities had police with heavy prejudices against black people. Kingston is predominantly black and a very welcoming community for black people because they aren’t the minority and somewhere where black people can feel safe compared to the US cities. Codogan says that “For a black man, to assert your dignity before the police was to risk assault”(7). He is basically saying that if you were black that you should just go along with what the police are doing in order to not get assaulted, which I find is something that people shouldn’t have to worry about.

2. What rules or restrictions have you placed on your own movements–walks on campus, or around your hometown–with your own safety in mind? In what ways do you connect personally to Cadogan’s piece (be specific)?

With my safety in mind I don’t run when it is dark to avoid tripping on something or not being able to be seen by cars because I mostly run on roads. I always make sure my earbuds aren’t too loud so that I can hear my surroundings and try to be as far in the breakdown lane as possible to stay away from cars. As for walking, I make sure I am aware of my surroundings and if I have my airpods in I only have one so I can hear what is around me and be aware of my surroundings. When I walk home from field hockey practice at 10 pm or am going back to my dorm after the trainers I go through the tunnel by the forum so I am in a well lit area. I connect with Codagans piece because I sometimes feel like I need to take extra precautions just because I am a female when I have to walk at night it makes me nervous sometimes. 

3. Describe a time when you felt unsafe while walking or traveling. What factors made you feel unsafe? How did you respond? Describe your interactions with those around you (if applicable)

I personally have not felt unsafe in my life as a white person but because I have been exposed to racism through reading books like The Hate U Give, White Trash, and seeing it in the news but I can see how racism can be detrimental to a black person’s life and make them feel unsafe. I don’t think it it right for someone to have to worry about I do feel uncomfortable when I walk in the dark for any reason sometimes because I am a female and I have listened to too many true crime podcasts about women being in danger, so I am always extra aware of my surroundings to keep myself safe. 

4.

Codigan tells the reader his firsthand experiences in all the different cities with the police and the population in general. He talks about how he felt about the situation, how he felt in the moment, and how it affected him afterwards. He allows readers to put themselves in his shoes and understand the moment through his eyes. His narration adds to the larger discussion of racism because he adds to the many experiences that have been told by members of the black community with his own experiences. His stories tell first-hand how the issue of racism affects him and how it makes him alter his identity just to be safe, which may be the same for many others in the black community. His stories relate to the racism that is shown through the events of racism during the pandemic such as George Floyd and the anti-Asian racism toward Asians.