In a nutshell, we can all agree allyship is not easy. Being an ally means more than acknowledging society is messed up. That’s certainly part of it, but there’s more. BLM allyship means making active choices and decisions to uplift black people, support black business, use your privilege positively, but also examining the system and how you fit into while others are actively excluded. I hope everyone who is determined to be an ally also recognizes it’s going to take time to feel entirely comfortable after going through that emotional revelation, and that’s okay.
It's All So Overwhelming
I think I’ve pretty much cried every day for the last week. I’ll be scrolling through Twitter or Instagram and see a message that just hits me in the gut and without warning the waterworks start. The phrase, I feel seen, comes to mind and has never felt more true. I feel seen almost to the point of exposure. I feel raw and sensitive to the touch, but grateful issues within our systems are being discussed out in the open and called out for what they are, racist and predatory.
All Black Lives Matter
There is no question. There is no debate. There is no wondering. Black Lives Matter encompasses all black lives, all walks of life, all black people no matter how they identify or who they love. There is a sentiment going around that you can somehow support Black Lives Matter but select which types of black lives deserve preservation, uplifting, and care. I just want to simply say, that is not true.
Quotes That Resonate and One That Does Not
I’ve been thinking about a lot of quotes recently. Then, I started seeing one circulating yesterday that made me want to scream.
Revolution Is Never Clean
Rioting is what’s going on for sure, because the definition of riot according to Merriam Webster is, a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd. However, the people inciting the riots aren’t necessarily the protestors and not every protest ends with a riot. Have you been seeing videos circulating of the way police have been treating protestors? Lest we not forget why these protests are happening. This started as a protest for George Floyd, and has evolved into a protest for all black lives. Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery are the most recent names that come up when talking about homicidal police, but there are so many more lives we are fighting for. The protests are happening because law enforcement has not been upholding its duty to protect its citizens. People in uniform have been using it as a cover to terrorize black communities and kill unarmed black people with impunity.