One day... when I was a freshman at MassArt, I was riding the elevator up to the library from the lobby. An old white lady got in the elevator on the 3rd floor. She seemed legitimately shocked to see me. She stood at the other side as far from me as possible. I was nearest to the buttons, so I asked her which floor she needs. She said "9". So, I pressed "9".

This lady seemed determined to say something to me. I could tell by the way she kept looking at me, then looking away when I return her gaze. Finally at around the 6th floor, she turned to me, smiled, and said, "Do you know where you are?"... I almost laughed, I was so shocked. At this point, she tried to justify her statement by saying (and I'm paraphrasing) "Because, y'know... Some folks from nearby neighborhoods (i.e. the housing project right near MassArt aka The Ghetto) come in, pretend to be students, steal stuff... Do you have a student ID".... I point to my lanyard and the ID dangling from it.

We reached the 9th floor. A look of silent relief slithered onto her face as she stepped out, never looking back, head down. I used see her every so often. She waves. I always wave back... smiling... knowing deep down that because I'm a black male, I have to swallow my anger, and bitterness, and resentment or else I'll end up being the nigga she assumed I might be.

"7:30am" is dedicated every student of color at MassArt or ANY college that has had to swallow that anger knowing that it's poison. I see you, and I'm with you. Tell your story. Open it up. And, never allow yourself to be silenced like I was silenced.