'It was pretty disheartening for a little while, with the way our people we're being treated,' he said, explaining their decision to pull down the flag.Ĭode Switch The Code Switch Podcast, Episode 7: You're A Grand Old Flagĭenise Lopez, an artist and designer, said for her the decision to reclaim the flag felt like part of that struggle. Kevin has Mexican and Irish heritage, his wife Denise is Black. This summer, Lopez said, events like George Floyd's death in police custody shook their family. 'With all the protests and the Black Lives Matter stuff happening, we took the flag down for a little bit,' said Kevin Lopez, who works for Microsoft in San Pedro, Calif. They told us the American flag comes with baggage that can't be ignored. to an ideal is unfair.'īut many of the roughly 1,800 people who responded to NPR's call out, especially people of color and those who lean more liberal, said it's not that simple. Like Hurley, she voiced impatience with people who see the flag as a symbol burdened by racism: 'The United States is still pretty much the most equal place you could have for people of different backgrounds.
flag down for a time but after a family discussion put it up again outside their home.