I just went bald at a young age which means I also have bought a lot of hats. I always thought I looked cool with it on backwards, side ways, or anyway besides how it’s suppose to be wore. The only time I wore one “correctly” would be during baseball.
Then I got a job on the railroad. I would come into our morning meetings dragging ass hat backwards looking sloppy and my foreman would cuss me and if I was close enough he might even punch me. We had a really good relationship and I knew he cared about me, I was just a young punk at the time trying to be cool. I would always fix my hat because I respected him a lot and he hit really hard so that shit would hurt.
Over time I started coming into meetings earlier snd my hat on the right way. No more stickers left on it and even dressed more prepared for work. Going out in public I stopped wearing my hat to look cool and started always wearing it the how they were meant to be wore. I didn’t have to think about it, it became a habit.
I know it probably seems meaningless to most but my foreman’s influence on how I wore my hat helped me grow up and start caring more about my appearance and how I presented myself.
As a Halfrican American male covered in tattoos. I already was being stereotyped negatively. So putting more effort into my appearance was vital to me being successful. Little sumplimital changes and influences make a have the potential to make a lifelong impact.
As parents and community members we have the opportunity to impact everyone we come in contact with. It’s on us if it’s going to be negative or positive.
I haven’t worked for him in over 8 years but I still wear my hat forward just in case he gets in striking distance.
