Things have been pretty heavy lately in our country. That's actually probably an understatement when thinking about the countless black lives that have been lost to the harsh injustice of police brutality in our country, most recently with the horrific death of George Floyd, not to mention the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland and numerous others.
Taking a step back and thinking about the recent death of George Floyd really has me thinking about what it means to be a white woman in America today, and this gives me just a tiny glimpse into the harsh realities that African Americans face in today's society.
Quite honestly, I'm angry, I'm upset, and I'm scared for my black friends.
I know that because I'm white I have certain privileges that persons of color don't, and this is both disturbing and disheartening to realize that we live in a country that still, after centuries, refuses to treat its citizens as truly equal.
That seriously needs to change because it's 2020 and those racist views need to leave... like yesterday.
The reality of it is: if I get pulled over by a police officer, the worst that I expect is a ticket.
That's not the case for my black friends.
I can't even begin to imagine what living with that kind of fear in the back of their minds could even be like. I know that I will never be able to understand this, but I want every single African American reading this to know that I will always, fervently and to the best of my ability, stand in solidarity with you and the fight against injustice that you face.
I see you. I hear you. I will stand with you.
With that being said, I have to take a minute and really evaluate the privileged position that I, as a white woman, have in this country. This goes beyond not having to fear for my life and my safety when if I am pulled over by a police officer. I don't get racially profiled when I walk into stores.
My black friends do.
Even something as simple as skin-colored bandages are generally colored in the white skin tones and not the darker skin tones.
If I were to go out running, I wouldn't be stopped or harassed simply because of my skin color. That's not the case for my black friends, and that wasn't the case for Ahmaud Arbery, either. All of this injustice and racism needs to stop.
Hating someone for the color of their skin and giving unfair advantages in this society, and in this country, to people with white skin tones is absolutely bonkers to me.
Maybe it's because I consider myself to be someone who generally has a fair amount of faith in the human population, but I believe that we, as Americans, can and must do better for the black community.
It's 2020, when is enough going to be enough? How many more lives have to be lost to this systemic issue?
If you're reading this, and you're white like I am, I challenge you to take a step back and truly evaluate the places in your life where you have privilege.
I then challenge you to stand up, step up, and use your privilege and your voice to do something about the injustices that black Americans face in our country today. Today, and always, Black Lives Matter.
