I think it's interesting how most of these started because they were taught racist ideology.

I grew up in the deep, deep south, but was fortunate to leave when I was around 7. I moved to a slightly less southern area, but the roots were still in me. I never said any slurs, but I believed for a long time the POC simply weren't as intelligent and/ or incapable of being on the same level as me.

It wasn't until I went on a cruise (I was about 14) and met a group of international students around my age or older from all sorts of places (Ukraine, India, China, Egypt, and a few others.) After lots of listening to them discuss their lives it made me realize a lot of what I grew up thinking was very wrong.

I feel guilty about the way I thought growing up, and I hope it never affected other kids badly. My family still live in the South, and haven't changed. You really do have to move from places like that if you want to take on a new perspective.