Raised By A White Family In A Sundown Town, Black Woman Only Discovers Her Heritage in College

Lacey Tezino’s life story is one of extraordinary self-discovery, love, and resilience. Growing up in Vidor, Texas, a town infamous for its history as a “sundown town,” Lacey was raised by a loving white family who told her she was white.

It wasn’t until high school that she uncovered the truth about her heritage—that she is Black.

Her remarkable journey was first shared publicly on the podcast The Isaiah Factor Uncensored, where she opened up about her complex upbringing and how she navigated life unaware of her true racial identity.

Born to a white mother in Houston, Lacey’s birth mother initially intended to terminate the pregnancy.

However, after a conversation with bar owner Ronnie Huckaby, who deeply desired to have a child, Lacey’s biological mother made the life-altering decision to allow him to adopt her.

Lacey was raised in a loving home, but her adoption papers falsely listed both her parents as white.

Ronnie her adopted father, battling cancer, moved to Vidor to be closer to his family.

After his death, Lacey’s grandparents took her in and raised her with love, shielding her from Vidor’s racial tensions. Lacey thrived in school, excelling academically and socially, but her family maintained the narrative that she was white.

It wasn’t until her suitemates in college questioned her identity that Lacey began to fully realize her Black heritage.

“Learning about my Black heritage in college opened my eyes to a part of myself I never knew. It was empowering and heartbreaking all at once,” she shared.

Lacey’s story, which she further detailed in her book “Therapy After Mom Died” and podcasts, has resonated with people across the globe, as she continues to inspire others who may be on their own journeys of self-discovery.

“I spent my whole life unaware of my roots, and when I finally discovered my Black heritage, it felt like finding a piece of myself that had been missing,” Lacey shares.

Her willingness to share her experience has opened important conversations about race, family, and identity.