8 minutes, 46 seconds.
Jogging.
Playing video games at home.
Relaxing at home.
Walking to the store.
The list goes on.
These are only a microscopic fraction of the ways black people have been murdered by citizens or police in America.
I support our men and women in blue. They deserve to go home safely every single day.
I do not support racism of any kind, by any one.
I do not support violent rioting and protesting.
But, I do have a question…
What is it that is finally awakening the world to the racism that never ended, only transformed?
We are living through a double crisis.
COVID-19 & racial injustice.
Just like the CDC & WHO developed plans to stop the spread of COVID-19…
Just like scientists are working diligently to create a vaccine to stop the spread of the deadly virus…
We must do the same to end the deadly, systemic, social injustices of racism.
The work begins now.
People are fired up.
But, what happens in a week, in a month, in a year?
I am asking you to not grow faint, weary, frustrated, forget, move on.
Our children, husbands, wives, friends, loved ones, and future generations deserve our full commitment to be catalysts of change, facilitators of transformation until we see an end to racism.
Where do we begin?
It begins with self-awareness.
I always avoid using, “you,” when writing, but it is unavoidable this time.
Please be mindful of comments you post on social media.
As much as you advocate for the other side of the fence, are you advocating for blacks to be treated fairly?
I can’t even scroll on social media anymore because it has become so highly opinionated.
Instead of opinions, perhaps posts should be transformed to ideas and thoughts for change.
What would happen in our world if we weren’t reactively commenting in response to what others are doing and instead shifted to commenting about what we can do to facilitate growth, change, and love?
Some people have the privilege of walking down the street without being scared of someone speeding up behind you – to kill you. We do not.
I was driving home late last night after grabbing a bite to eat, almost midnight. I saw a group of teens walking, horse playing, having fun. I saw a young man with a backpack walking alone. Some people have the privilege of doing this. We do not.
Some people have the privilege of having high-end grocery stores, state of the art schools and hospitals, healthy restaurants, a variety of options for shopping, retail, dining, banking, entertainment, etc. Many predominantly black neighborhoods do not.
The area in which I grew up, about 25 minutes from where I currently live has schools that for years were in this state (and some still are):
“For years, students voiced their frustrations over crumbling buildings, leaking roofs and even electrical problems that made it hard to keep the school warm in the winter or cool in the summer. Students even staged a walkout in December 2015.”
Have you ever seen a school with deplorable conditions such as these in your neighborhood? It is unthinkable, isn’t it? Continue to read the story posted by NBC DFW.
We could spend days discussing the inequity and higher COVID-19 mortality rate in this area.
Change must come.
Will you be part of it?
Reference
Quillen, Alanna. “After Yearslong Wait, South Oak Cliff Students Attend New $52M Campus.” NBC DFW, 2020, January 7.