Black healthcare worker records elderly patient asking about her 'master': 'Let's see you read'

A Black healthcare worker turned to TikTok this week to highlight how deeply racism is ingrained in American society. TikTok user Marleena Yaminah (@modestlymarleena) shared a video of the incredibly racist comments made by an elderly patient who for some incredulous reason was under the impression that Marleena would have a "master." Marleena, who later revealed in a comment that she's a certified nursing assistant, kept the camera on her as the patient offscreen asked her something that isn't clearly audible in the video. However, it prompted the TikToker to respond that she doesn't have a "master" and that she's her "own master," while a text overlay on the video read: "They will forget everything BUT racism."

In the video captioned, "The racism I experienced today was uncanny," Marleena informed the patient: "I'm free." The woman still refused to believe Marleena and instead said: "Let's see you read." Visibly taken aback by the challenge, the healthcare worker incredulously replied: "I know how to read!" In a text overlay on the video, she added: "We all know what they did to POC who know how to read. She said it in a condescending manner as if I didn't know how to read."

According to Daily Dot, Marleena later explained in a comment that the conversation had occurred with a patient at her workplace. "I was talking with her before patient care and she said I was so nice, sweet, caring, understanding, and well behaved, I must have a good master," the comment reads. "POC healthcare workers need to be paid more, I've been a (certified nursing assistant) for five years. I've experienced worse remarks, I was just able to record this one. Truthfully, not a lot of people believe the Black experience. This is just a glimpse into our world."

While some commenters tried to justify the woman's blatant racism by saying she probably has dementia or Alzheimer's, Marleena replied: "Y'all really need to stop acting like I didn't go to school for this, I posted about the obvious racism embedded in this field, not the dementia." "Sis yes! They think we are talking about dementia when we are talking about RACISM," replied @officialayanayvonne. "How is it that Black dementia patients aren't racist?" Marleena agreed, writing: "I swear [they are trying to] switch the subject up KNOWING that's not the point of the video. They love to NOT focus on the actual point as a diversion."

Thousands of comments expressed similar horror at the absurdly racist comments from the patient. "That's how you know the seeds of hate root deeper than the seeds of love," wrote @sunstatebaby904 while Mobeinfab commented: "If we have trauma in our DNA, then they have hate and racism ingrained in theirs." TikTok user Rebecca used to opportunity to call out an excuse often used by White folks in conversations about racism. "'Slavery was so long ago!' Old people in nursing homes: I remember it like it was yesterday," the user commented. Meanwhile, a TikToker named Erica Polo revealed that they have also experienced something similar.

"I experienced this once," they wrote. "I told her, 'Be careful what you say, honey. You're meeting God soon [and] your judgment is coming.' She was SHOOK." @officialayanayvonne, who also said she is a (certified nursing assistant), said she's had similar experiences as well. "Yup I'm a CNA and at this point, I'm starting to believe racism is their default cause how do they forget everything else but remember racism," the commenter wrote. In a follow-up video, Marleena shared another part of her conversation with the woman, beginning with her asking the patient, "so you like Black people?"

"Yeah, I do," the woman replied. "I love 'em... Dark people are peculiar people. They're so sweet, but they're so sexy." Many commenters praised Marleena for how polite she was throughout the exchange. "It's killing me knowing how excruciating it is to smile through sh*t like this for obvious reasons. Thank God we know how to make lemonade out of lemons," wrote @tieshalooks.