It is extremely difficult to find the appropriate words to convey what I am about say. The world I live in amazes me by the strides we have taken in society.

For instance, the acceptance of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transsexual Queer Intersex Asexual (LGBTQIA) community. A relatively new movement that has brought us marriage equality. Although LGBTQIA has conquered a few battles, the war is not over.

I admire their strides taken in a short period of time, but on that note, it makes me question why we, as a society, are still stuck in what seems to be an everlasting battle of civil rights.

How is it that we have an African-American president, but the discrimination of colored people is still such a prominent issue? It has been more than 50 years since the March on Washington. It has been more than 50 years since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I have a dream” speech. He said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” So, today I vow to no longer be silent.

Skin color is such a contentious subject. I can't empathize with the issues that come along with it because I will never have to endure being discriminated against based off of the pigment of my skin. Why is it the public can look at someone like Oprah Winfrey and see success, but look at the individuals in desperate need of intervention and only see the color of their skin?

Winfrey made her living off of being exactly who she is, and the public adored her. Not every African-American can be Oprah Winfrey, but that does not mean every African-American doesn’t have the right to be exactly who they are.

If emotion and character are taken out of the equation, just look at the facts. According to blackdemographics.com, 6 percent of African-American men who are of working age (18-64) are incarcerated. That is 300 percent more than the “all men” group statistic. Not only are they more likely to be incarcerated, they are more likely to be unemployed. That same age group has an 11.2 percent unemployment rate, whereas the “all men” was said to have a 7.3 percent unemployment rate. Men and women of African-American descent face a harder life. Not only a harder life, but that hard life is in jeopardy of being taken by those who swear to protect it. According to alternet.org, there were 1,134 African-American deaths in 2015 inflicted by the police force. African-American men between the ages 15 and 34 had a death toll five times the rate of the white men of the same age group.

I am thankful to be white, but I am more thankful to be aware. Aware of the privileges I have because I am white. When I go to sleep, it is with the comfort of the fact that if my rights as an American were violated, justice would more than likely be served. When my articulate, intriguing and absolutely stunning African-American roommate, Emily, goes to sleep, she does not share the same comfort I do. It’s wrong Emily and I are so similar except for our skin color. We share the same favorite foods, colors, style, political views and more. Despite being so similar, it is hard to believe something as important as our human rights differs.

She has these beautiful lips that can rock any shade of the MAC lipsticks we love. She has this enticing skin color I lay by the pool in an attempt to acquire. Although my roommate’s appearance is dazzling, she is so much more than that. I fear that some might miss out on her authentic outlook on life. Personally, I have benefitted from her being in my life. She is a humble genius, inspiring me to waltz through life with grace and confidence.

It was with Emily’s confidence and support I was able to write this piece. I chose to write this piece because I have many outstanding individuals, who are of multiple ethnicities, who are dear to my heart. It’s because of them, I will no longer be silent. No matter your reason, it is time to speak up with righteousness.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do keep moving forward.”

Our society has been stagnant for too long, and the first step in moving forward is to shatter the silence.