I witness

You noticed me pass by your voter registration and petition booth, in front of Walgreens. I watched as you asked everyone else for a moment of their time but did not ask me. I made eye contact with you and walked by slowly on my way into the store, just to see if you would acknowledge me. I watched as you tried to appear engrossed in your discussion with the group of people at your booth on my way out of the store. I am an African-American woman trying to explain to my African-American children the importance of being able and willing to vote. What a puzzled look I had on my face when I had to answer my 9-year-old’s question: “Mommy, why didn’t she ask you to sign that voting thing?”

Send us your rants, kudos, love letters or bizarre sightings, but keep it to 100 words. You’ll remain anonymous, but you must identify yourself for us to process your submission. Mail: Iwitness c/o CN&R, 353 E. 2nd St., Chico, CA 95928; email: iwitness@newsreviewcom.