It’s unfortunate that 4 year old Hadiya perceived that the pursed lips of the white woman on the subway was a signal of hatred.  It’s even more unfortunate that her father supported that notion, choosing that moment to tell his little girl that some people will hate her because she is black and bright.  What a heavy burden to place on the heart and mind of a little girl who is just starting to explore the world and figure out where she fits in.

I’m not discounting the author’s experiences in her corporate legal career. But at the same time, I think that incident on the subway so many years planted a seed of self doubt and mistrust in a little girl’s mind and heart, and that seed flourished.