Your silence is worse than saying the wrong thing.
Our community has been hurting a lot longer than your 30 seconds of awkwardness will last.
We grew up watching people abuse and rape our mothers. Ridiculing, beating and killing our fathers and brothers in front of us. And treating us like the bad kids even if we were the smartest kids in the room, telling us we would never amount to nothing. Would you EVER say that to your own child?
We loot because we’ve been looted of wealth and humanity for hundreds of years. We protest because our screams are continually covered up and denied by our government and neighbors. We revolt because we realize even that doesn’t seem to get through to you. So now we wonder if one of us really is the smarter race...
How can you help? Hold your breath for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Sit in self reflection and in penance for the crimes of your ancestors and the ignorances you continuously commit. SPEAK UP IN SUPPORT OF A RESOLUTION FOR OUR PAIN. Invest in our communities, stop passing our people up for jobs and promotions. Imagine yourself in the shoes of that man on trial. Think of us as YOU, as your family, as your friends before you judge or make a choice, give us home loans, give us the money and land we are owed for the years you worked our families to death and ensured we would continually be in the cycle of debt.
Stop denying our hurt and our pain, stop belittling it, you already said you can’t imagine it so stop belittling it. Stop electing ignorant presidents and politicians that care more about money and optics than humanity.
Be a human.