I have been struggling to find the words to describe the influx of conversations about race in America because for so long it has been a dream of mine to finally get this in-depth, candid exchange of ideas. It’s been a dream to actually have this conversation on a larger, more open platform (social media or just media in general) in order to reach millions of racist, oblivious, ignorant, clueless, foolish, etc. people who have been bottling up their insensitivities beneath feigned indifference or nicely packaging them behind fake smiles. Now, passionate, intelligent voices can reach people who are embarrassingly unapologetic about their bigotry -hateful and inept- and really begin this process of unpacking the hundreds of years of injustice and inequality that is plaguing this country. We can begin to unpack the racism that is still so alive and well in this great nation.

The flood gates seems to have finally burst open and years upon years, decades, centuries of pain and ruthlessness are surfacing on a national scale and the outcry for justice and plainly respect for black people in society is finally being heard. 

At first, I’m not going to lie, I was annoyed. I was annoyed because all of the events leading up to these mass protests have been happening for centuries. I was annoyed because black people have been living with this sense of insecurity for so long it’s became normalcy, born from the hopelessness that consumes any glimmer of positive change due to systemic and institutional racism. There was never an acceptance of this horrible reality, but our voices were just not loud enough for the media to take any notice. 

I understand that these atrocious events happening back to back with this ferocious public investment is the catalyst for this open conversation about race, but it makes me sad that police brutality and violence has been happening for so long without reprieve. I understand that it’s the new wave of technology and our “global oneness through Twitter” that have brought about many uprisings not just here but across the globe. I understand that now there is literally nowhere to hide or deny this unthinkable violence because cameras come with cell phones and people record everything nowadays. 

However, it’s the interview with Azaelia Banks that has essentially made me want to write today. I was so floored by her honesty and moved by her persistence. She was not going to stop talking about society’s cruel mistreatment of black people just because it makes listeners uncomfortable. Numerous times during the interview when whatever-his-name-is told her to put all that raw energy into her music, she said, no, I don’t want to put it in my music. She explained that it’s rare for a black woman to be able to speak the way she does so it can be heard by millions. She told him, it’s her prerogative to say whatever the hell she wants because she’s not afraid of the repercussions. She knows her talent and her fan base. I think she also knows that people, regardless of this strange, twisted way the media portrays people in this country as a blob of mindless apathetic morons, people really do respond to honesty, and as numerous protests have proven, people are neither mindless or apathetic. Well, not all people…

Azealia Banks, if you ever read this I want to thank you for saying all of the things that have been resonating within the black community for centuries. I want to thank you for not accepting the picture being painted of you through twisted media outlets, but embracing your right to speak freely as a citizen of this world and as a black woman. I want to thank you for giving me hope that money doesn’t change who you are or where you come from, but does give you the ability to say whatever the f*ck you want on a platform that would usually be denied topics so deep and so honest.

This post is kind of all over the place, but it is reflective of the bitterness and joy I feel about finally entering a moment in time where I’m not scared about sharing my opinions or apologetic or nervous I’ll hurt people’s feelings or make people uncomfortable. I’m merely exercising my right to free speech, something so wonderfully apparent in that interview.

If you haven’t seen/heard the interview yet, I HIGHLY recommend it: