This is a topic that is being discussed throughout the nation in these last few days. But the reality is that no one knows how it feels to be black unless you are black. It is a heavy and emotional topic that has resurfaced after more black men were fatally shot. Today as I watched the topic talked about with Sheryl Underwood on the talk show, "The Talk," I was in awe. I started to feel her raw emotions through the television screen. The question that came to my mind was, when will these shootings stop? But as usual, the justice that many families seek are either never provided or the families are given money for their "troubles". However, the truth of the matter is that the shootings should never have occurred.
It seems like the names of the individuals who were killed based on their skin color since the lynching of Emmett Till has only increased despite the ongoing activism within the community. I have realized that the only time that the Black Lives Matter movement is "popular" is when the names of the victims have only increased. We need to wake up from the perception that racism does not exist. The reality is that racism still exists in the twenty-first century, no matter what gender, occupation or personality. As a nation, we need to rise up together, the same way that the thirteen colonies were determined to remain united against the British, with the phrase, "Join or Die". The movement should grow rapidly because the longer we wait, the more lives that will be taken.
The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not fight for equality for African Americans to not be able to see change in this country. Although it has been over five decades since the "I have a dream speech", we have a long way to go before the dream is finally accomplished. My favorite part of the "I have A Dreams" speech is "now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood". As I hear the names of the deceased, I begin to ponder upon the upcoming election, every vote that we make as a nation affects our future. As you vote, think about not only you but the impact that it will have on your family, children and future descendants. Ask yourself, "How I can help to make a change in my community for #BlackLivesMatter?" Then focus on the goal and go for it. Remember your choices will cause a chain reaction to the future generations to come.
