"To be Black in America
Find out what it's like on any major network
Read about it in the news
Can you hear our blues?
I can't breathe
I remember the first time I watched a man die.
It was in the fall of 2014 and I was a sophomore in college
The cause of death? chokehold and the compression of his chest as an asthmatic Black man
accused of selling cigarettes on the streets of Staton Island, NYC.
I can still hear his voice. I can still feel his fear. I can still see him on the street struggling to breathe..." - To be black in America.

A spoken word poem I wrote about police brutality.

Transcript:

Get away [garbled] for what? Every time you see me, you want to mess with me. I'm tired of it. It stops today. Why would you...? Everyone standing here will tell you I didn't do nothing. I did not sell nothing. Because every time you see me, you want to harass me. You want to stop me [garbled] Selling cigarettes. I'm minding my business, officer, I'm minding my business. Please just leave me alone. I told you the last time, please just leave me alone. please please, don't touch me. Do not touch me. [garbled] I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

Above is the transcript of Eric Garner's final words, with his very last "I can't breathe." I remember stirring up enough courage, while alone in my room one night as I was doing research on police brutality, to watch the video footage from July 17, 2014. I, along with millions of people online were witnesses to murder and would never get the chance to testify on the victim's behalf in court.

That was the first time I saw a man die, and months before his video played non-stop on social media outlets for the world to see, as if his death was meant to become a learning moment for our country. An opportunity for the country to see once and for all what black and brown people have said for years about police mistreatment. I was and am still disturbed by the constant portrayal of death in the media. I wonder why we as a society are OK with watching women and men die in front of our eyes, it's almost like we are becoming desensitized. I wonder why we want to see dead bodies on our social media outlets and often have in-depth conversations on whether the death was warranted or not. More importantly, I wonder why many people continue to deny a problem exists with our police forces where our own citizens, of many backgrounds are continuously murdered when unarmed by our public servants who are employed to bring those suspects into the justice system.

In the wake of Alton Sterling's murder, Philando Castile's murder and the murder of so many other Americans, I found it necessary to use this platform to bring needed attention to the issue of police misconduct, brutality and ability to escape accountability for their actions. Please understand the difference between critiquing or disliking the evidently broken parts of an institution and hating an entire group of people who are a part of the institution. An institution is defined as an established organization, in this context, I identify police forces as an institution on larger and smaller scales. Police officers are employed by the towns, cities, states they represent and are responsible for protecting and serving those same communities. They are employed in selfless positions and risk their safety daily as a part of their duty. The work they do does not go unnoticed by most of the country as it is expected for police officers to be friendly, members of their communities, and generally good people.

As stated above, our justice system is broken. This is proven by data easily accessible through an internet search where people of different backgrounds face more or less criminal chargers for minor and major offenses. For example, drug offenses where White Americans make up for a majority of drug users, based on data collected and compared to the US Census population statistics , yet are one of the smallest incarcerated population of drug offenders. This is difficult for people to understand if they have not been forced to recognize their privilege in being treated fairly by an officer during a routine traffic stop or in the courts during a ruling. I have stories from white friends who have verbally assaulted police officers and more images of white youth can be found online of them physically assaulting an officer without facing repercussions. Juxtaposed with stories of Black Americans verbally assaulting an officer or physically assaulting an officer and they are always met with violence and too frequently met with a death sentence by fire arms. Neither situations are right, assaulting an officer is wrong, yet both situations have starkly different outcomes.

I highlight the two differences to demonstrate the injustice that exists. Black individuals are often exposed to violence before due process and White individuals are often protected even when committing a crime as a measure of upholding the democratic justice system we have in place. For example, Dylan Roof the domestic terrorist who targeted nine Americans in their place of worship, was humanely arrested with a .45 caliber handgun inside his car during the time of his arrest. After his arrest the domestic terrorist was bought food at a fast food restaurant while in custody. This terrorist was treated humanely, and is now given due process, a luxury not afforded to so many black and brown people in America when they are suspected of committing a crime. Looking at the case of Philando Castile who was said to informed officers of the presence of his legal weapon during his traffic stop yet was still murdered.

Another example is Tamir Rice, a child who was playing with a toy gun in a park was shot almost immediately by arriving officers.This an undeniable example of police misconduct and inconsistency in the treatment of Americans of varying ethnic and racial backgrounds. Many people have tried to argue whether the use of lethal force is necessary in many of the higher profiled cases involving police shootings. I would like for those same people to justify the murder of a 12-year-old child who played with a toy gun in the park with his sister. Surely the arriving officers could have apprehended the child without the use of a lethal weapon. White children are afforded the privilege of playing with toy guns in public but are not murdered when approached by police officers who are unsure if the weapon is real or not. White adults are afforded the same privilege apprehension with the presence of a fire arm.

Members of the Black Lives Matter Movement want the opportunity for due process to become an option for everyone and not for death sentences to be given out by police officers. Black Lives Matter wants value to be put on the lives of black people and for biases to be recognized by police officers when dealing with black and brown individuals. They want accountability for the actions of misconduct and for our justice system to punish crimes committed by police officers to be handled as they would if they were committed by typical citizens. Police officers are not above the law, they are meant to uphold it. Do a quick Google search on the Oakland Police Department and the recent misconduct by some of its officers to get an understanding of the devaluation of human life and corruption that exists within the police force.

As a lover of all people and someone who chooses to stand up for injustice anywhere it exists, I would like for everyone to send their prayers (or thoughts of wellness) to the families and friends of the victims of police misconduct. I would like the same for the friends and families of the officers who have died in the line of duty protecting their communities this week in Dallas and in the past. Every life is valuable and it is inexcusable to take the life of another. I stand with the men and women who risk their lives day in and out to provide safety for my community and those at large. I stand with all of the families who have lost a loved one to the use of lethal force by police officers. I will continue to speak out against the devaluation of human life.