You know, the sad thing of post-9/11, which was of course horrific, was that the city in which I felt completely at home for two decades, suddenly people like us - brown people - were looked at as the 'Others.'

Summary

In this quote, the speaker reflects on the impact of the 9/11 attacks on their experience as a brown person living in a specific city. They express sadness over the realization that after the tragic event, their sense of belonging and familiarity drastically shifted. Suddenly, they felt categorized as "Others" and faced the prejudice and suspicion associated with being a brown person in that particular context. The quote highlights how global events can create divisions and alter perceptions, negatively affecting the sense of identity and acceptance of certain individuals or communities.