Brian, who grew up in Jamaica, talks about a white Jewish American friend, Ben, he made during a snow storm in a predominantly white neighborhood where he did not expect people to be friendly. When asked after the recording whether he harbored any stereotypes about Jewish people prior to becoming friends with Ben, Brian replied that the message he had gotten in the past was that Jews didn't like black people and kept to themselves, not interested in relationships with people from other cultures. The kicker is that his girlfriend now has Jewish ancestry.
Although as a person of color he frequently experiences being stereotyped, he says he has learned over time to not generalize groups of people. He says, "It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from. If you have some decency, some humanity to you, then it will show."
Listen to Snow Was the Glue.
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