Eureka, California

I lived in the area for roughly three years while attending college. I experienced more racist moments here than I’ve experienced in my life. I wouldn’t say the town itself or the county itself is bad but there can be really bad apples. While grocery shopping one day, we were in the checkout line and an elderly lady who doesn’t look like me in her wheelchair proceeded to repeatedly call me the N-word. She was so insistent in making sure we heard her, the cashier had to address her behavior as derogatory & again their store policy. Another experience where my home was robbed. They stole everything and destroyed as much as they could! The landlord refused to give my deposit back because he said “if I didn’t have a family I have to stay in his home” instead of allowing me to leave gracefully he staged the home after the robbery to look like I was a bad tenant and had it listed on Craigslist. We had no idea he listed the house. As we were packing up the house, prospective renters were showing up to look at it. They kept asking why I was leaving, and I had to explain to them that I had been robbed and this area was not safe, especially for single college aged women. Another experience where they lit our front yard fence on fire. And multiple experiences while working at a dealership where I would be called out of my name throughout my shifts. Anytime a black person came onto the lot, which was rare for the area, They would ask me if that person was related to me. The boss took pride in his “white culture” I would say when traveling through this area to be mindful and to be aware…always watch your surroundings.