This week has been one of hurt. This week has brought sadness among my campus and among my city and there has not been a day where my heart has not ached for my friends of color. To my friends of color, I am sorry for the constant ache you must feel every time you look at a news outlet.

I had a professor tell me this week that if we as the millennial generation did not feel like part of the solution, then we were part of the problem and I agree wholeheartedly. But then the question becomes this: how are we part of the solution? How can we become part of the solution?

We live in a society where we are shunned for our different opinions. We are laughed at and criticized if we accidentally say the wrong thing. We live in a time where, yes, our opinions become important at any given moment, but we have to be careful of who hears them.

I am only one person.

I am one person who, as my mass communication theory professor describes me, is brave enough to stand up and voice my thoughts. But what about the one person beside of me who is not as brave?

To be honest, I do not think I am brave. When I open my mouth to speak I hope that I am speaking on behalf of those who cannot find the right words to say. I hope that I am making that moment more bearable for someone who may have things to say, but cannot get into their right mind to say them. But at the same time I am terrified that I am going to overstep a boundary and hurt someone in a way I did not mean to. I am so scared that someone who is hurting because of what is happening is going to take what I say in a negative way. And yet I speak.

I am only one person, but so are you.

I am one person who sits beside people who do not say a word. I am one person who looks around the room and raises my hand first because I cannot stand the fact that even when someone’s life has been taken prematurely, people still cannot open their mouth to advocate for the victim or just voice their thoughts. I am one person who made the choice to go to the silent protest that a few students at my school put together in a show of solidarity for those who have lost their lives.

I am one person who is ready to help be part of the needed change.

I am blessed to live the life that I do. I am blessed that I can walk down the street, drive down the road, and walk into a store without people thinking horrible things about me.

There are students, faculty, and citizens around me who do not have that blessing. They walk around their home feeling terrified because of what could happen if someone thinks they are someone else. They are terrified because their brothers, sisters, family members and friends are at risk every time they leave their home--sometimes even in their home.

My skin color has blessed me in ways that I may not ever be able to comprehend and I want to use that to help in any way that I can.

I cannot fix the world, I know that, but I hope that I can inspire someone to step up. I hope that my friends of color are inspiring those of you who do not speak in class, to speak about things that may make you uncomfortable.

I am only one person.

I am one person, but I am ready to stand alongside those people of color in an attempt to bring justice and equality to a world that talks about having it, but is lacking.

I am one person.

You are one person.

We are each, alone, a single person, but together we are more. And together we can stand strong.