Debrief on Transforming Tacoma

I am neither from Tacoma, Washington or the United States, originally. I was born and I grew up on the East Coast of Canada. When learning about the U.S. when I was younger I generally assumed that the Northern States did not have large issues of racism, like the South did. Now that I am older and actually living in the states, and getting a better understanding of African American I now see that, that idea was idiotic and the film Transforming Tacoma has given me a better insight into the city and its issues with racism. When I think of Racism in the South my mind immediately jumps to Southern States like Mississippi, or Georgia, it does not go to Washington. Transforming Tacoma made me look at the city of Tacoma, and the State of Washington in a different way. The film talked about how African Americans couldn’t by a home in certain areas, or sit in at a restaurant, they could but the food there but they couldn’t sit in and eat it. This was shocking to me. I always assumed that’s something African Americans had to deal with back in the deep South during those times, not the Pacific North West. I always saw the North West as being far more progressive when compared to other part of this county, but I now know they had and in some cases still have issues with racism. I don’t usually walk away from a film feeling different, but watching that short film changed the way I understand Washington. I now realize that I still have a lot to learn. I am glad I was able to get a chance to see this short film, and get a better understanding of the City I go to school in.