The Faces we choose to See.

By Luis Miguel Messianu

Every now and then, something happens that jolts us — a cruel image, a careless remark — and suddenly we’re reminded that the work of empathy is never finished. It’s in those moments that we see how fragile our progress can be, how quickly the thin layer of civility can crack.

For me, as an immigrant who came to this country inspired by its promise of fairness and decency, those moments feel deeply personal. They take me back to why I fell in love with America in the first place — because it offered the idea that anyone, from anywhere, could belong. But belonging only thrives when respect does.

Racism doesn’t always announce itself with anger. Sometimes it hides behind laughter, “harmless” jokes, or familiar stereotypes. But make no mistake — it still wounds, distorts, and divides. Every time we see someone’s humanity diminished through mockery or hate, we lose a little of our own.

That’s why our response matters. We can let cynicism shape us, brush these moments aside as “just noise,” or we can use them as reminders of who we want to be — as people, as communicators, as a nation still defining itself.

I’ve spent my career trying to tell stories that celebrate what connects us — the shared heartbeat in our different accents, flavors, and histories. And I believe that’s where our hope lives: in choosing to see one another fully, without distortion. Because when we see clearly, we build more than tolerance — we build trust, community, and dignity.

The faces we choose to see — and how we choose to see them — will always define the kind of society we become. Let’s make sure that reflection is one we’re proud to look at.