Dear America,

First of all, I want extend my condolences to all of the families affected by the tragedies that took place two weeks ago.

Today, is Tuesday, July 19, 2016, and, by now, (if you live on planet Earth) I’m sure you’ve watched news reports, read Facebook statuses, and even heard people discuss the recent killings of two African American men in the United States. The victims are 37-year-old Alton Sterling, killed last Tuesday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by two Baton Rouge Police Department officers and 34-year-old Philando Castile, killed during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minnesota the following day.

Castile’s girlfriend live streamed the altercation which lead up to his death on Facebook, and two bystanders at the Triple S Food Mart captured Sterling’s killing through video on a cellphone. Both went viral later.

I’ll be honest – it took me a while to not only gather my thoughts on the situation, but also articulate them in a manner that would be worthwhile reading. I think the proximity of Alton Sterling’s killing made digesting this particular shooting a bit harder compared to that of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Jordan Davis, or Michael Brown simply because an issue of this magnitude never came so close to my hometown of New Orleans before. And knowing that anyone of those men I previously mentioned could’ve been me, my brother, cousin(s), father, or uncle(s) is what really hurts the most.

After receiving the news, the corresponding hashtags, gut-wrenching witness video(s), and headlines become instantaneously etched in the consciousness of people in foreign and domestic lands. And as a result, various communities are forced to reignite an ongoing conversation about a wide range of topics such as: police brutality, gun control laws, the role race plays in the overall framework of America, (possibly the world) and what citizens can do in response to these tragedies to foster permanent social change.

While these topics are difficult to navigate through, they are an integral part of helping to rectify the issues which still affect African Americans today. Yes, racism still exists. I don’t think it ever disappeared, it just evolved with time. However, there’s this notion that issues of this caliber will disappear if we stop talking about them. Well, let me be the first to debunk that myth. Not acknowledging the elephant in the room only makes it bigger. And truly extinguishing this mentality lies deep within the individual – but conversation is a great place to start.

Until we can do that, the continued cycle of injustice, like the 2012 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, and countless other similar situations, will prevail. That is actually what started the famed #BlackLivesMatter social movement formed by three community organizers, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. Their goal was to provide “affirmation [to] Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” They have been able to do this through conversation on their website, bus rides, and peaceful protest nationwide.

But after the protests end, and everyone goes home, the imprinted images these events produce still remain at the forefront of many brains. Brains of people who are expecting words to translate into action. Let’s face it, if most hot button issues were just talked about for days, weeks, or even months and no one did anything to try to evoke some sort of change, all parties involved would be at a disadvantage to voice their concerns at the ballot box all of these conversations and protests will be in vain.

I consistently wonder time and time again if society has gotten to the point where these types of killings are just accepted as the norm. If the answer to that is no, then why are more people not outraged at the fact that the blood of so many black men continues to permeate through the concrete of suburban neighborhoods, grocery store parking lots, and parks? I don’t want to say people don’t care – but sometimes it seems that way.

It’s sad that many African-American men must live vicariously through these experiences and strategize with their loved ones how to prevent becoming the next victim. I’m sure I’m not the only one whose parents have had the “talk” with them – and no, this conversation wasn’t about the birds and bees. Instead, it was about making us aware that our “blackness” - something that many of us cherish, may in fact be the thing that kills us.

That reality is that many of my white counterparts, simply cannot relate to. While nothing is wrong with that, there is something wrong with not being able to empathize with individuals undergoing oppression. This shows that going forward, we must do our best to at least try to understand the issues that plague our neighbors, even if that means we have to be uncomfortable for a minute.

In addition, we must hold all individuals who can aid in this change accountable for their actions or inactions, because all people play a role in helping to win the fight for equality. That includes everyday citizens, police and our elected officials.

However, everyone isn’t willing to go to war for this though. And not war in a literally sense, of course, but if we truly want society to progress, it will take a lot of fighting and advocacy from groups besides African-Americans. Of course we care (some of us anyway) because these issues directly affect our communities, but in order to change the narrative that’s been put fourth for so long in this country, a place built on systemic and institutionalized racism, people who do not look like us must make their voice twice as loud as ours. That means using your platform, be it radio, television, your workplace, or even Odyssey, to shed light on the experience of those who are the direct recipient of centuries of injustice.

It’s clear that change needs to happen and the solutions to this problem are infinite, but violence isn’t one. The key to changing long-term beliefs start with the individual. We can only do our part to bring awareness to the issues. The rest has to be something that people want – and often times, people aren’t drawn to change until they are directly affected by an issue.

So what’s the key to making a change? First, we must accept that there is an issue. Secondly, we have to understand the root causes of these issues – and openly listen to why disenfranchised communities feel this way without dismissing their opinions simply because we don’t agree with them. Lastly, we need to take our new found knowledge and work to evoke change through our actions.

This may be easier said than done because beliefs are kind of like behaviors in the sense that they are so ingrained in our consciousness that it may be difficult for us to even see how they affect our perception of the world. So going forward, Americans must do a better job at listening. And listening to understand, not to respond.

We as African-Americans must also do our part by embracing one another, and helping to reinvent what it means to be “black.” Let’s not only break the stereotype, but also refuse to portray it because “black” can be whatever we want it to be. Many legendary figures in pop culture (and everyday people) have shown time and time time again that it is possible. As we strive for this, it is important to remember that individualism is key to influence.

Whatever your idea of "black" is, embrace it in the best way possible.

In closing, I hope this “letter” enlightened and encouraged anyone who read it. While the task at hand may be big, it’s not impossible. I also hope all 1500 plus words came from a place of love. May we continue to strive for peace and progress across not only this nation, but the world in general. God Bless.

Sincerely,

A Motivated Millennial