If you haven't ever heard of W. Kamau Bell, please follow the next few steps. Finish reading this article, then open a new browser tab, go to Youtube or Netflix, and watch a few of his videos.

Bell, as he describes himself, is as "6'4, African American, heterosexual, cisgender, asthmatic, left leaning, black and proud, mama's boy, dad, and comedian." He recently came to Shippensburg University and gave a lecture entitled "Ending Racism in About An Hour." This lecture, although it was a bit more liberal in it's ideas, utilized Bell's humor to drive home the points of usually uncomfortable topics to anyone in the audience, disregarding political ideology.

Bell spoke on many points, including some of #BlackLivesMatter, the social concept of race, and white privilege while making everybody in the audience laugh. It was more so of a conversation than a lecture, which made his points much more meaningful.

He was engaged with the audience, speaking to those who shouted out in the crowd. If you didn't find his jokes accompanied with his Seth Rogen like laugh funny, you almost had to be dead inside. He used his own ethnicity as a joke, as well as the uncomfortable vibes the white people in the audience brought when they talked about racial injustice that happens in our country.

Like I said earlier, it does not matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on to realize that what Bell was saying was funny and important. Although he is left leaning, he did not try to shove Democratic agendas down the throats of his audience. He just wants equality, which is a basic human right given to us by our Founding Fathers.

Many points he made really opened my eyes. One that really stood out to me is the fact that race is a made up social construct used to categorize, and sometimes discriminate against people. At one point, he spoke out to the crowd "I wouldn't have known I was 'black' until someone told me I was". This idea focuses on the fact that our 'race' is not in our DNA. Our ethnicity is. Our 'race' is based off the melanin in our skin, whether we are black, white etcetera.

He made out the point that racism grows off this idea of 'race' and that "kids arent racist until you teach them to be racist". A lot of the things, especially quotes from famous African Americans really stood out to me, and opened my eyes to what is happening in America.

Bell's lecture opened my eyes. It made me realize as a white female that I had a voice, and that I can use that voice to help those who cannot be heard. It made me want to go out and fight for the equality that we should have in this country, but don't. No matter what gender, race, religion, political preference, or age you are, you should believe that everybody is created equal and deserves the rights laid out to them in the Constitution.

It has been 231 years since our Constitution has been written, and we are still fighting for equality we should have had in 1787. So, now-- go to Youtube, Netlflix, or whatever streaming service you prefer, search Kamau Bell, and use your voice to gain the equality we all deserve.