There is so much going in our daily lives, that we tend to overlook a lot of small yet important details. These things also include practices like discrimination, which we encounter on personal as well as professional level. Recently, after a simple incident where a Walmart cashier Ebony Harris helped a fellow customer, has highlighted how we normalise everyday instances of discrimination. It shows how a little kindness and empathy can change things for the good. In Burton, Michigan, Angela Peters, a customer was denied service by the nail salon employees because she was “shaking too much.” Ebony Harris stepped in to do give the dejected Angela a manicure.
Angela has cerebral palsy and experiences tremors, which explains her hands shaking during the manicure. The nail salon employee at Walmart who was annoyed by her this refused service to Angela. The 40-year-old cashier Ebony Harris took notice of the treatment meted out to her and decided to paint Angela’s nails herself. She compromised on her lunch and instead made sure Angela’s nails are painted to a bright blue colour in that time. Sitting at the subway sitting area, Ebony Harris carried out her little act of kindness.
Here's the video:
Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a set of neurological conditions that affect movement. It is a form of disability occurring in childhood. This condition makes it difficult for the person to move certain parts of the body. The severity varies from person to person.
The incident came to light when Tasia Smith, who also works there, took a video which she posted on Facebook. The video soon went viral and people appreciated Ebony for her kindness. According to a report in ABC News, Harris and Angela happen to know each other since Peters shops at Walmart often.
At first, Angela’s hands were shaking, but her kind friend made sure she is comfortable. “And you know, she moved her hands a little bit and she kept saying she was sorry. And, I told her don’t say that. I said you’re fine,” Ebony said.
She, however, insists that she does not wish to put the blame on anyone, and her intention was only to make Angela feel good and make people more sensitive towards people disability. “We’re not trying to bash the nail salon. We’re not trying to make them lose customers, make them look bad,” she said. “But maybe spread awareness that no matter the person, who they are, what colour they are, disability, whatever, they’re people too. She’s a girly girl. She’s just like you, me … my daughter, anybody. She wants to look pretty, you know, and so why can’t she?”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2018 04:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).