Invisible Man.

I am an invisible man. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.

- Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

This quote stood out to me moreso than any other quote I've heard in African American History class. Although this statement refers to the fact that the black man was being overlooked and unrecognized, as if not even seen, I feel as though I can relate to it, even in 2009.

The way I look at this quote, as a teenage boy in a world where color matters less and less with each passing day, is that I am overlooked and unrecognized. The content of my character, the person I actually am seems to be invisible, hidden behind the veil that is the person presented to the world. The face I put on, the mask I wear, is not an accurate representation of who I truly am. This blog is who I am, the one few people ever see.

It's not that I'm trying to create any particular image, other than who I was born to be. People just seem to have a little difficulty with understanding that person. Therefore, I am invisible.. Simply because people refuse to see me.