I am a minority. I was born with Puerto Rican blood running through my veins and for that I am proud. I am also an active supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and an avid believer in voicing what I believe in, what I stand for - equality. The end of discrimination, the end of police brutality, the end of white privilege in America. However, I am not Black.

I am not African American. I will never know what it is like to walk down the street and have people assume I am a criminal because of the excess melanin in my skin. I will never know what it is like to have to teach my children how to avoid death at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect us. I will never be profiled, treated as sub-human, get killed at routine traffic stops.

Let me repeat myself: I am not Black. I am Hispanic. So no matter how hard I try, I will never truly understand what it is like to be Black.

For all of the non-Black people of color who support the Black lives matter movement, it is important for us to recognize that we should absolutely be apart of the movement in any way that we can, but it is more important that we make sure our voices do not overpower Black voices. A lot of PoC expect some sort of pat on the back for being an ally to the movement but in reality, African Americans have no time to make you feel better for being a decent human being and doing the right thing.

No matter what my opinion is, since I am not Black, the people whose voices are of the utmost importance are African Americans. As a non-black PoC it is my job to absorb: to listen to what Black people have to say about the topics because at the end of the day it is them, it is their people, it is their sons and their daughters who have to live through it, not me. Not a non-black PoC. If a Black person tells me that what I am saying is wrong or calls me out because my statements are problematic, insensitive, or biased, it is my job to heed what they are saying and correct myself accordingly.

I acknowledge my privilege as a non-Black person of color and I use it to their advantage; I make sure I spread awareness over social media and call people out in real life situations when it is necessary. Since I am a non-Black PoC my voice is almost always heard; it isn't my job to tell Black people how to deal with the anti-Black sentiment in America but to listen, learn, and inform others of the injustice. If I am silent, I accept injustice. If we, as PoC, are silent, we perpetuate discrimination and contribute to white supremacy.

Another critical aspect of being a non-Black person of color is - don't compare the plight of your race's to the plight of African Americans. I've seen it everywhere, "Well, why do people get all worked up over racism against blaaaack people but not {insert race/ethnicity here}?" White supremacy maintains power atop a pedestal of anti-Black racism. So when non-Black people of color throw African Americans under the bus, we contribute to white supremacy. Fighting anti-blackness is key to breaking down the systemic racism, a key that would benefit all persons of color.

In conclusion, allies, we must do better. We must listen and learn. We must fight for Black people and not silence their voices. We must use our privilege against white supremacy and stand in solidarity with the African Americans being brutalized and killed every single day for the color of their skin.

Famously said by Martin Luther King, Jr. -

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”