I had this recurring experience when my daughter was less than a year old.  I was working part time and we spent a lot of time going to the park, running errands, or whatever. I remember one time crossing the street by Lake Merritt.  I think that my daughter was in her stroller.  I was kind of struggling to get over the curb or something.  Some car stopped to let us cross.  I looked up to acknowledge the kind gesture.  It was a slightly older brother who was just beaming from ear to ear and waving happily at us.  He was proud to see me doing what I was supposed to be doing.

Another time, I was carrying her down the sidewalk of a main street.  I got just big deep smiles from so many different people.  Whenever we would go places, I got the same reaction.  Babies do that to people.

It really should be no big deal, but from my perspective as an African American male — it was very difficult from the typical purse clutching, avoiding eye contact, and crossing street interaction that made up my previous existence.  It really did change my life.