Fulbright, Texas

Fulbright, Texas, is the small town where Brittany is raised. Brittany emphasizes two important but contrasting elements of Fulbright – it is a loving and positive place for her because of its associations with her childhood, but it is also a rural Southern community marked by poverty and racism. Fulbright is partially synonymous with Brittany’s family memories and her family is deeply ingrained there. In fact, her grandfather’s family made up over one quarter of the 150 residents in the town, and Brittany’s mother’s last name was ‘Fulbright’ because she was descendant of a Fulbright. Brittany focuses on these family connections and the support she received in her childhood as she describes Fulbright – as she writes, “We knew we could knock on any of those family doors on Fulbright Road if we needed to” (13). At the same time, Fulbright provided Brittany with few role...