It started out as small talk 

I'm going to get a haircut so I can look fresh for church on Sunday 

Or should I grow it out and have an afro?

I have not because I feel that it would be easier to label me as a criminal. 

Which led to a burst of reality in our small circle of academia and comfort 

You do not need a certain hairstyle to be labeled as a criminal. You've already been labeled. 

And even though she did not say it, we all knew why. 

 So I looked at my skin color and thought, what have I been labeled as?