Black Lives Matter Today, Yesterday and Everyday

Black Woman-n. Beautiful, powerful, resilient female of African descent with skin kissed by the sun. Black Lives matter. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked “Are you okay?” I would have been rich by now. No we as Black people at this time and many times before are not okay. As I sit in a staff meeting with my co- workers listening to chatter about plans and assignments I can feel myself drifting to another place. A place where worry, sadness and anger exist. Thinking about all of the latest race driven police brutality instances that have shaken the black community to its core. All of these events throughout history have added water to a glass that eventually overflowed George Flyod was the final straw. As a black woman I could’ve been Breonna Taylor. One of my male friends could’ve been Ahmaud Arbery. My dad could have been George Flyod. Enough is enough. We are tired of seeing people gone way too soon. Stolen dreams. Stolen futures. Stolen lives. Being black is not a crime but it has proven itself to be a death sentence.

As we feel ourselves drifting, being angry, feeling hopeless and tired. May we use all of these emotions to take action and become better versions of ourselves, May we all use our powerful and strong voices now more than ever before. Change and raising awareness looks different for all of us. Some will protest, some will run for political positions while others will speak up in their professions and communities. I advise you all to wear the shoe that fits. Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, how to act or how to drive change. For those of you who are not black I challenge you to learn, listen and advocate. Understand your privilege. You too have a voice and it is okay to use it. You will never understand what it is like to be us but you can hear us and walk with us.

Being Black will always be an honor and a privilege. From the many pigments of our skin, from our strong and powerful history, from the many phenomenal black men and women that do amazing things when the world is on our neck. When I can’t breathe gets louder we get louder and we fight. We rise to the occasion each and every time. We take care of each other and show up each and every time over and over again. We push through the hatred, the injustice and we run towards greatness. We are great. We are beautiful. Black lives matter yesterday, today and everyday.

Take Action (links for change)

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/

https://communitychange.org/about/