We live in a society where appearance is relevant. We are judged by the texture of our hair, by the color of our skin, the clothes we wear and overall, we are perceived by another person at first glance. The truth about modern day society is that appearance is relevant. If your skin is light, you’re automatically categorized as a white person and if your skin is darker than most, you are considered black. There is no in between in 2016.
The media makes it obvious that there is a differentiation in regards to how people of color are viewed. We witness police brutality toward people of a minority at an alarming rate. It is extremely painful to witness the recurring displays of unnecessary deaths and assaults as a result of one thing and one thing only: color!
Everything about you is relevant until it isn't. We are told our whole lives that character and good choices are what define us, but you take a step outside and the world becomes so simple and complex at the same time. You are either white or black. You aren't an educated college student or a high school student about to graduate. You aren't an amazing mother, father, sister, or brother. You are stamped with a color. You are stamped with this systematic oppression that has occurred for generations. You are white or black, and that is the only thing that seems to matter when you step outside.
As a Hispanic woman, I would never be able to speak about the obstacles Black people encounter in America. However, I hold the same levels of apprehension that most black Americans hold. I fear for my sisters, my brothers, my friends, my family, lovers and my future children, because I know their skin color makes them a target as soon as they step outside.
When we consider this concept of black lives matter, we must be aware that this slogan is a cry for equality for all races. It isn't about people of color being superior over people without. It is about the millions of Americans who wear a darker shade, finding justice and the same level of respect in regards to police brutality and police assault.
I could be white in winter and dark in summer. Once my color begins to change, I become a target. I am no longer an educated college student striving for two degrees. I am no longer a young, ambitious and compassionate woman. I become a target, just like millions of people in the United States.
Change starts with you, and because all lives matter we must consider the true meaning behind the movement of #Black Lives Matter.
