"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, and then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi

Dear White People*,

The Black Lives Matter Movement needs you too. With recent cases like Terrence Crutcher, Justin Carr, Keith Lamont Scott and the countless others that go unnoticed, the Black Lives Matter Movement needs you. It’s not about distinguishing black lives as more important than white lives, but rather, we want black lives to be seen as important as white lives. This is the only way to truly ensure that all lives will matter. Regardless of how you may have been brought up to think, black lives have never been valued nor have they ever been made to feel as if they matter. With people who don’t look like us and don’t face discrimination like us, you can help show others that our movement is needed and all of our concerns are valid.

I can understand why you may think that the All Lives Matter movement is a good thing. However, it arose out of tensions that white folks had with the Black Lives Matter Movement. The movement is meant to be a reclamation of black lives, as to say that you will not silence or oppress us any longer and to say that there needs to be reformation within the police institution. The movement arose out of feelings that black people are tired of seeing so many black bodies become victim to police brutality and know that justice will probably never come for them. The All Lives Matter Movement is meant to try and push us back into those corners of silence and oppression. We will not stand for it. The All Lives Matter movement only benefits white folks who choose to continue to sit in their privilege. The Black Lives Matter movement is all about dismantling forms of oppression in order to free us all.

People who support the Black Lives Matter Movement are out fighting the good fight. They are donating to the bond fund that helps get protesters out of jail. They are doing jail solidarity work to get those folks out. They are doing legal observer work by watching the interactions between police officers and the protesters. They spreading the word about the need for supplies. They are donating supplies. They are supporting black folks by telling them that they are seen and they heard. The All Lives Matter Movement is not doing these things. It is only criticizing the black lives matter movement. The All Lives Matter Movement is only meant to be used in retaliation of the Black Lives Matter Movement. In order to see equity and to see that all lives truly matter, as a white person, you should support the black lives matter movement. What the media doesn't show you is that all of us are a family, and we are all trying to get free together.

None of us are free until all of us are free.