Hanif grew up in “the tough parts of South Philadelphia” where he heard about and experienced racism and colorism. Seeing or experiencing things that were specific to being Black in his neighborhood, made him wonder, “why does everyone else get privileges?” or more simply, “why (not) me?” Music, friends, and faith helped him step out of those thoughts, which changed his perception of himself and of others. Listening to rap music and hearing interviews from successful Black entrepreneurs uplifted him and reminded him that “we come from a culture of kings.” Conversations with friends helped him unlearn some of his own misperceptions. He recounts a recent conversation with a friend, where they wondered “Why do we like always the light skinned females with the long hair than the dark-skinned ones with the curly hair?” While he felt if it was probably just one’s taste, his friend argued that those were in fact racist thoughts. Through conversation, they both agreed that it was time to ditch such “preferences.” He also turns to the Quran and the authentic text of Sunnah to remember that we are all created equal and how “there is no racism [or colorism] in Islam.” Hanif urges us to remember that we are all “products of our environment” - not everyone has had a perfect life and that contributes to the things people believe about themselves and others. We all need some empathy, understanding, and conversation to survive.