There will always be racist people in the world. And that’s not okay, but I don’t know if that’s something that can be totally eradicated. I had a paper for an anthropology class this semester which was supposed to connect our personal experience during the pandemic with our observations of society in general. I decided to write about how — just like the pandemic — ideas are viruses, too. Racism, which is embedded in ideas of Black inferiority, has been transmitted like a virus for generations upon generations. So sometimes it can be hard to be hopeful.
We all need to be more open to engaging with diverse groups and live in a society-oriented way, where you’re respectful and loving to your neighbors. Maybe I’d be more optimistic if people who had ignorant ideas would meet other people who are different from them and learn from their perspectives.
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I’m pretty involved in learning about and trying to reduce disparities in low-income communities, often made up mostly of people of color. I’m always volunteering or working in some sort of service position. When I become a doctor, I’m hoping that I’m able to continue doing some kind of service. My understanding of the health system and how to close the gaps in it has grown a little more during this time.
Moyinoluwa Adeniji, 21, is a pre-med student in Union, N.J. For more in this series go to bostonglobe.com/opinion/black-voices-now.
