How It Feels to Be Colored MeIn "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" Zora Neale Hurston begins to recant her life in Eatonville, in Florida. This small town was a black community and the only white people who ventured into Eatonville were tourists coming from or going to Orlando, which was just south of Zora's hometown of Eatonville. The city never paid much attention to Southerners, never stopping to chew sugarcane while they pasted, but the Northerners who arrived were a different breed. In Eatonville the shy ones peeked behind the curtains, the more adventurous ones went out onto the porch and watched them pass with the same pleasure with which the tourist observed the village. Young Hurston was more resourceful than most and quite enjoyed the interaction she had with casual visitors. He would sit on top of the gate pillar as he describes it as his favorite place to sit. It was a “stage for a born novice,” the equivalent of a podium at the top of a stage. She wasn't afraid to let the tourist she calls "actors" know that she enjoyed the show. He interacted with them starting with the waves which eventually gave "talking pieces" to the visitors. If a family member walked out in the middle of a conversation, they would have to abruptly end it. This is really the opposite of my experiences growing up in the 90s. As a child I was told not to talk to strangers and was taught the universal teaching of “Stranger Danger.” I was told stories of child abductions and facts about why I shouldn't have accepted a ride from anyone if I hadn't been told first directly by my parents or grandparents. If I had to go straight to my grandmothers after school and if I was a few minutes late on the prepaid cell phone my parents gave me f...... middle of paper ......because we trust real estate agents to help us find a house to make them promote segregation in this way is shameful. Zora calls herself "Cosmic Zora", sometimes stating that she does not belong to any race. I understand this ideal as I firmly believe that we are all connected by a greater power. The feeling of aligning yourself with the universe and its energy is intriguing to me. Leaving behind social class, ethnicity, political position and focusing on living and enjoying the time we are given on earth. I know as much as anyone that this is very idealistic. If such an event occurred there would probably be no progress in civilization. In moments of discrimination Zora simply asks herself “How can anyone deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me” a phrase I will now repeat to myself if I ever experience discrimination or rejection in the future.