#6 Dripping Springs resident talks race

Nifa Kaniga is doing something others have described as brave. The 20-year-old Dripping Springs resident stands at “the triangle” in the middle of Dripping Springs, Texas, holding a sign that invites people to have a conversation about race.

Kaniga, however, says he’s not the one being brave. “Really, I think it’s the people who are coming out to me who are the brave ones,” Kaniga said. “I think it’s awesome for them to come out and try to learn because that’s really all I’m out here to do.”

Kaniga says he wants to be a resource for his community and to help people understand the black perspective. “I can’t feel any type of way for people not knowing if I don’t teach them, because a lot of people are just products of their environment and that’s not anybody’s fault. There’s no guilt there, but people are products of their environment and if you live in a place that’s predominately white, there’s a higher chance that you’re not going to talk to anybody who’s black.”

He’s had some meaningful conversations with folks. “It exceeded my expectations. I’m going to be honest,” Kaniga said. “This comes into education. I came out to educate people, but I feel like this experience has educated me.”

Kaniga says the prominent topic he’s discussed with people is having empathy. “I feel like that’s where the frustration comes out. It’s 2020, you should get that you shouldn’t be a racist or have racist opinions or have subconscious biases. But it’s feeling empathy for those people and trying to help them instead of trying to attack them, because when we stick up for people, we usually attack them,” he said.

“We have to find those similarities in ourselves because we’re all human and that’s how we connect, and that’s how we bridge the gap and bring them closer to our side, because when you attack people, they want to close up. They don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Kaniga says having these types of conversations is a positive move at a time when our nation grapples with racial tensions.