There’s a lot happening in the world right now. We’re living in an unprecedented time from the deadly impact of a global pandemic to multiple Black people killed by police. 2020 has been quite the year so far and we’re only in June.
We feel the anger, pain, and grief every day watching the news. And just three days ago, another unarmed Black man, Rayshard Brooks, was killed by the police in Atlanta.
As I think about it, the current climate reminds me of the #MeToo movement. One after the other, we saw chickens coming home to roost. It started with Harvey Weinstein, and then Hollywood began ousting all the perpetrators and sexual predators. The entertainment industry was finally put on blast and held accountable, regardless of what it looked like.
Lately, you haven’t been able to scroll social media without seeing statements from corporations about how they’re going to do better; acknowledging systemic racism and #BlackLivesMatter.
Even Netflix and Hulu have recommendations of movies that people can watch about the Black experience. It’s not even like this during Black History Month. The book White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo has become the “textbook” for white people to help them understand their assumptions about race, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality. It’s been sold out for weeks.
It’s sad that it took a video of a Black man being murdered by police to prove that these things really do exist. It took George Floyd’s death to finally snap people into a frenzied reality. Yet, this time it’s more than just protesting and bringing issues to the table. You can actually see a movement of change happening.
Honestly, it is taking some getting used to. Black people have been screaming for so long about the racism and police brutality that happens daily in this country. Now, those screams are actually being heard and shared around the world. We’re hopeful for change.
We’re at a critical turning point in this country, calling for each of us to stand up, reflect, and do more. No one can turn a blind eye to the truth anymore. The real work is still ahead.
At some point, each of us has thought that this year is absolutely canceled. Most of our plans have not and will not happen. It seems that everything we had purposed to do, is no longer a manifestation to be had.
I believe that God his way of getting our attention. I also believe that this reckoning we are seeing is only the beginning. If you have no feeling in this moment, you’re not paying attention. Your silence is acceptance.
#blacklivesmatter #Covid19 #globalpandemic #racialinjustice #justice #change #georgefloyd #breonnataylor #blackmen
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