[encore] 387: Stop Looking At My Last Name Like That by Michael Torres

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily Episode: [Encore] 387: Stop Looking At My Last Name Like That by Michael Torres Release Date: June 25, 2025

In this special encore episode of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Tracy K. Smith delves into the pervasive issue of racial bias, particularly as it affects the Latinx community. Through personal anecdotes and a poignant poem by Michael Torres, Smith illuminates the subtle and overt challenges faced by individuals navigating a world rife with stereotypes.

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Personal Reflections on Racial Bias

Tracy K. Smith opens the episode by sharing her personal experience of purchasing her first home, highlighting the intersection of race and perception in everyday interactions.

• Navigating Stereotypes in Real Estate ([01:25]):

  Smith recounts, “A dozen years ago, when we were on the market to buy our first home together, my husband, who is white, thought nothing of wearing a hoodie and sneakers to open houses. I teased him that he could afford to look just any old way, but not me.” This reflection underscores the anticipatory anxiety she felt as a Black woman entering a predominantly white space.

• The Burden of Strategy ([01:25]):

  She continues, “Such strategizing is a burden and an inconvenience, but it sometimes does what it is intended to do, which is to short circuit a stereotype, rationally speaking.” Smith emphasizes the exhausting necessity of preemptively countering biases to secure equitable treatment.

• Emotional Toll of Racial Preconceptions ([01:30]):

  Smith poignantly states, “It's hard to accept that sometimes my race causes another person to jump to conclusions about what I know or have or deserve and what I don't.” This admission highlights the internal conflict and emotional strain imposed by systemic racism.

• Ineffectiveness of Superficial Solutions ([02:00]):

  Concluding her reflections, Smith asserts, “Dressing up or practicing conspicuous consumption aren't real solutions to the problem of being pigeonholed; dialogue, education and friendships with people of different backgrounds. Those things do more to make real change happen.” She advocates for deeper, more meaningful interactions as the pathway to dismantling entrenched stereotypes.

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Introduction to Michael Torres' Poem

Transitioning from personal narrative to poetic expression, Smith introduces Michael Torres' Stop Looking At My Last Name Like That, a powerful piece that confronts and challenges the biases faced by the Latinx community.

• Purpose of the Poem ([03:00]):

  Smith explains, “Today's poem Stop Looking at My Last Name like that by Michael Torres calls out biases affecting members of the Latinx community.” She sets the stage for the poem's exploration of identity and prejudice.

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Analysis of Stop Looking At My Last Name Like That

Michael Torres' poem serves as a vessel for expressing the often-unseen struggles and unacknowledged strengths within the Latinx community. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt narration, the poem dismantles harmful stereotypes and reclaims the narrative of resilience and hope.

• Challenging Negative Stereotypes ([04:00]):

  The opening lines, “Nothing in my life was crooked or broken or potholed, not haggard or tired, not poor and unfortunate, nor merely lucky,” immediately reject the superficial judgments placed upon individuals based solely on their ethnic background.

• Highlighting Familial Support and Hard Work ([04:30]):

  Torres writes, “Please. Our parents paid for those university tours. On weekends we went out like families do the zoo, science museums.” These lines celebrate the dedication of Latinx parents and the value placed on education and family experiences.

• Depicting a Safe and Nurturing Upbringing ([05:00]):

  The poem continues with, “There were no gunshots or helicopters to stop us from sailing those ships down the not so flooded street.” This imagery paints a picture of childhood innocence and safety, countering narratives that often associate Latinx communities with violence and instability.

• Embracing Hope and Agency ([05:30]):

  Closure comes with, “With the world ahead, we opened our small yellow umbrellas. A sudden burst of sunlight. We walked right into.” These final lines symbolize optimism and the proactive stance of the community in shaping their future, despite the challenges faced.

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Concluding Insights

Tracy K. Smith's integration of personal experience with Michael Torres' evocative poetry creates a compelling narrative that not only highlights the prevalence of racial biases but also offers a path toward understanding and change. By intertwining lived experiences with poetic expression, Smith invites listeners to reflect deeply on the societal structures that perpetuate stereotypes and to envision a more inclusive and empathetic world.

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Key Takeaways:

• Personal Impact of Racism: Smith's anecdotes reveal the often unseen psychological and emotional toll of navigating spaces where racial biases are present.

• Power of Poetry: Michael Torres' poem serves as a testament to the resilience and dignity of the Latinx community, challenging listeners to confront and reconsider their preconceived notions.

• Pathways to Change: Effective dismantling of stereotypes requires authentic dialogue, education, and meaningful relationships across diverse backgrounds.

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This episode of The Slowdown eloquently bridges personal narrative with poetic reflection, offering listeners both empathy and insight into the enduring struggle against racial bias.

Transcript

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[Major Jackson]

Hi, it's Major. The slowdown is on a break right now, but we'll be back soon with a new host. In the meantime, we're bringing you some of the best episodes from our archives. Today we revisit an episode from Tracy K. Smith's time at the helm. Enjoy.

[Tracy K. Smith]

I'm Tracy Case, and this is the Slowdown. A dozen years ago, when we were on the market to buy our first home together, my husband, who is white, thought nothing of wearing a hoodie and sneakers to open houses. I teased him that he could afford to look just any old way, but not me. As a black woman, I anticipated the possibility that some real estate broker might see me and say to himself, this is out of her price range, and I wanted to circumvent that bias. Such strategizing is a burden and an inconvenience, but it sometimes does what it is intended to do, which is to short circuit a stereotype, rationally speaking. I know that another person's bigoted thinking is their problem, not mine, but it's hard to leave it at that. It's hard to accept that sometimes my race causes another person to jump to conclusions about what I know or have or deserve and what I don't. Living in a world where this is the trend, not the exception, can make a person self conscious. I've bought things I haven't needed simply to demonstrate that they are within my grasp. And then I felt foolish, as though, when all is said and done, the very stereotype I'd set out to defy has gotten in the way of me living my life. Dressing up or practicing conspicuous consumption aren't real solutions to the problem of being pigeonholed dialogue, education and friendships with people of different backgrounds. Those things do more to make real change happen. Today's poem Stop Looking at My Last Name like that by Michael Torres calls out biases affecting members of the Latinx community. Stop Looking at My Last Name like that by Michael Torres Nothing in my life was crooked or broken or potholed, not haggard or tired, not poor and unfortunate, nor merely lucky. No one's father returned from work with calloused palms every evening. No one got to where they were in life with the help of a new to the area teacher who stopped at nothing until our dreams came to fruition. Please. Our parents paid for those university tours. On weekends we went out like families do the zoo, science museums. Summers my parents said I love you, leaving me at camp where I earned badges spinning twigs until sparks spilled out out in September. No one came to class with torn or tattered clothes. No one got beat up for being less than Please. Boyhood was a ballad our parents sang when they bathed our brothers. No one became what this world carved out of desperation when it rained the we got picked up from school at home a change of clothes sat on our beds. Yes, we all had our own beds. Yes, each of us had our own rooms as well. We made boats out of egg cartons. There were no gunshots or helicopters to stop us from sailing those ships down the not so flooded street. With the world ahead, we opened our small yellow umbrellas. A sudden burst of sunlight. We walked right into.

[Major Jackson]

The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts on the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram atdowndownshow and blueskylowdownshow.org.

[Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein]

From Emmy Award winning series this Old House comes a new podcast, this Old House Radio Hour. We tell stories of the artisans, builders and visionaries that keep the spirit of craftsmanship alive. We also uncover America's forgotten homes with cheap old houses. Hosts Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein places with history, soul and price tags that seem too good to be true. Listen and follow this Old House Radio Hour from LAS Studios and American Public Media. Wherever you get your podcasts.