Cupcakes & Tea with Elizabeth

Tag: self reflection

  • Finding My Voice: Reflections on Race, Resilience, and Hope

    Finding My Voice: Reflections on Race, Resilience, and Hope

    The last couple of months have been heavy — really heavy. Between living through a global pandemic and witnessing the ongoing fight against police brutality and racism, it’s been a lot to process. Today, I wanted to slow down, take a deep breath, and write from the heart about some of my personal experiences and how I’m feeling right now.

    Growing up, I had “the talk” — the one that so many Black families have. It wasn’t about birds or bees; it was about how to act around police and how to keep myself safe. I learned early on that if something ever happened, I should call my family first — not necessarily the police. It’s an unfair reality, but it’s one that has been passed down through generations.

    As someone who’s mixed, my experience has always existed in a sort of in-between space. I’ve been surrounded by love from family on all sides, but I’ve also had to sit through uncomfortable moments — moments when people questioned white privilege, dismissed “Black Lives Matter” with “Blue Lives Matter,” or ignored racism simply because it didn’t affect them personally. Those conversations hurt. They chipped away at something inside me for a while.

    But instead of letting that pain change how I see myself, it changed how I see them.
    It taught me who was willing to listen — and who wasn’t. It showed me that silence in the face of racism is just another form of harm. And though it’s exhausting to always be the one explaining why Black lives matter, I’ve learned to find strength in my voice.

    Sometimes, I still feel drained — like I’ve hit a wall. It’s frustrating to live in a world where I have to defend my humanity, to explain history that’s easily accessible if people just cared enough to learn. But at the same time, I have hope. I see friends, family, and communities showing up, speaking out, and learning how to be better allies.

    That gives me strength.
    That gives me peace.

    I’m still learning how to navigate certain relationships — especially with people I love who hold views I can’t support. But I know I’ll find what’s right for me, and I hope you will too.

    Change takes courage. It takes compassion. And it takes choosing to care, every single day. I still believe we can get there — with open hearts, honest conversations, and a shared hope for something better.

  • That One Time in French Class…

    That One Time in French Class…

    You know those random memories that pop into your head out of nowhere and make you instantly cringe? That was me this morning on my drive to work. Out of the blue, I remembered one of my most embarrassing high school moments — and honestly, it still makes me laugh and cringe all at once.

    It was 2011, and I was a shy sophomore in my beginner’s French class. At the start of the year, we all got to choose a “French name” to go by for the semester. I picked Zazie (because someone else had already snagged Gigi, and yes, I was slightly bitter about it 😆).

    One day, I arrived to class a few minutes early and asked to use the bathroom. Totally normal, right? But as I’m in there minding my own business, I suddenly hear my teacher’s voice — calling out “Zazie!” in a perfect French accent. I froze mid-sentence (and mid-bathroom break). My first thought? Wait… did she follow me in here? It was so weird that I just stayed quiet, hoping I was imagining it.

    A few minutes later, the bell rings, and I walk back to class, proud of myself for not being late. But the second I walk in, the entire room is silent. My teacher stands up, looks right at me, and asks me to step into the hallway. I was so sure she was about to praise me or something — because that’s what she usually did when she pulled students aside.

    Nope.
    She accused me of lying about being in the bathroom.

    My jaw dropped. I was mortified. I told her I really was in the bathroom, and that I did hear her voice, but thought it was weird and didn’t know how to respond. She just shook her head and said, “No, you didn’t. You need to tell your friends what to do,” before walking back into the classroom — leaving the door wide open for everyone to hear.

    And there I was, bright red, walking back into class like nothing happened. Everyone stared for a second, then the lesson just… continued.

    Now, years later, it’s one of those stories that makes me laugh every time. I still have no idea why she thought I was lying, but I’ll never forget how small that moment made me feel — or how it quietly taught me to always speak up when someone gets it wrong.

    It’s funny how embarrassing moments can turn into lifelong lessons.
    (But seriously — what was that whole bathroom situation?!) 😂

    Do you have a high school story that still makes you cringe or laugh out loud? Drop it in the comments below — misery loves company!

    Drop some of your stories below!

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