Black Lives Matter – How my month started…

5.29.20

A city I will always call home comes to a head following the death of George Floyd (#sayhisname) on Memorial Day (5.25.20). He was killed/murdered (whatever you want to call it) by a police officier (who was white, Derek Chauvin) while being arrested for forgery (passing off a counterfeit $20 at a store); the video footage is horrendous as it was not a bodycam, but a video shot by a witness where you could see both the officier and the victim.

Yes, I’ve seen incidents like this happen, around the city and around the nation, and with more visibility than ever before, but nothing has ever hit so close to home. And even though I don’t live there anymore or right now, it still affected me to my core. I can’t tell you why it took this moment to really connect me, but it did. A city I love so dearly had broken out into chaos with the demands for justice. The city was burning, literally. The pictures I saw flashing across my social media feeds were heartbreaking. It was as if the pandemic wasn’t enough to test us in 2020 (or the Australian wild fires, or the threat of murder hornets)…but what now? Where do we go from here but to demand change and make change happen so that all people are treated equality and not one race is oppressed. My words will never be right. I will never understand, but I can be an ally. I can stand behind the movement for all people to be treated equally and right now…not every is subjected to the same basic human rights.

6.6.20

Day 9 of protests across the nation and globally. On the other hand, stay at home for Chicago was mainlly lifted as of 6.3.20, but a curfew (9p-6a) replaced it due to protests, riots and looting. The curfew was lifted as of 6.7.20, but protests are still taking place. Campaigns to defund or abolish the police are spreading across the nation. Rachana and I have taken to educating ourselves even more on systemic racism and racism in general in the US. How we are educating ourselves (most of it is Instagram, YouTube and films or TV series, but there are plenty of other consumable media – like books and podcasts):

1. 13th (Netflix) – “In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.” – This, in my opinion is a definite MUST WATCH; I’ve seen it twice now and am still picking up things each time. Also, the soundtrack is fanstaic and spot on. You will definitely learn things and Ava DuVernay is amazing at what she does.
2. Just Mercy (free rental from Amazon Prime) – “A powerful true story that follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his battle for justice as he defends a man sentenced to death despite evidence proving his innocence.” – Michael B. Jordan is great…as is Jamie Foxx. It’s a great film…and there are parts that remind me of The Green Mile.
3. When They See Us (Netflix) – “Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they’re falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park. Based on a true story.” – It’s hard to watch and I’m still in the midst of finishing it. I’ve only seen the first episode so far, and so much happens that make me so angry…like are you f*** kidding me? These are kids!
4. Oprah Winfrey Presents: When They See Us Now (Netflix) – “Oprah Winfrey talks with the exonerated men once known as the Central Park Five, plus the cast and producers who tell their story in “When They See Us”.” – I plan on watching this when I finish When They See Us.
5. Dear White People (Netflix) – “Students of color navigate the daily slights and slippery politics of life at an Ivy League college that’s not nearly as “post-racial” as it thinks.” – This, though definitely has points of current events, is a nice break from the really heavy and intense stuff we’ve been consuming, but still educational to the situation of today.
6. The Hate U Give (free rental on Amazon Prime) – “A teen witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood friend by a trigger-happy cop and must decide whether to testify or not.” – Such a good film, but at times can be hard to watch. It’s just too relevant in a good/bad way.
7. I Am Not Your Negro (Amazon Prime) – “Director Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, [Remember This House]. It is a journey into black history that connects the Civil Rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter. It questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond.” – When we started this, the way it’s shot and filmed was not what I was expecting. There is a lot of historical footage and it’s more of a narrative…it’s interesting enough to keep you watching.
8. King in the Wilderness (HBO Max) – “Through personal stories of the people who were around him, this film follows Martin Luther King Jr. during the last years of his life: from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assissination in 1968.” – This is on the list to be watched.
9. Black Stories Presents: Your Attention Please (Hulu) – “Hosted by Craig Robinson, this three-part series explores nine Black voices who are part of the next generation of excellence.” – I think this will be a good change of pace, but will be good to watch.
10. Black Lives Matter (Instagram) – official Instagram for Black Lives Matter
11. Rachel Cargle (Instagram) – writer who looks at race and womanhood
12. Monique Melton (Instagram) – Anti-racism educator and host of the podcast Shine Brighter Together
13. Brittany Packnett Cunningham (Instagram) – co-founder of Campagin Zero and podcast host of Pod Save the People
14. Color of Change (Instagram) – “[they] design campaigns powerful enough to end practices that unfairly hold Black people back, & champion solutions that move us all forward.”
15. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (YouTube)
16. Cut (YouTube) – Blind People Describe Racism, Black Parents Explain How to Deal with the Police
17. Dr. Shefali (YouTube) – Black Lives Matter – It Isn’t THEIR Problem
18. The Ellen Show (YouTube)

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We’re celebrating (not the right word – fighting for human rights and equality) the progress being made in the Black Lives Matter movement. But more still needs to be done. The first 6 days of June were heavily focused on the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a white police officer. Later, I found out his wife was from Laos, yet another hit. Rachana and I focused, whether intentionally or not, on learning, watching and working on becoming allies for the movement…so I muted my social media to learn and educate myself. Also (sidenote), for Baramee Birthday Month, I’m collecting donations for Reclaim the Block on Facebook.

“Reclaim the Block began in 2018 and organizes Minneapolis community and city council members to move money from the police department into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety. We believe health, safety and resiliency exist without police of any kind. We organize around policies that strengthen community-led safety initiatives and reduce reliance on police departments. We do not believe that increased regulation of or public engagement with the police will lead to safer communities, as community testimony and documented police conduct suggest otherwise.”

It does appear that progress is being made (during the resurgence of BLM that is less than 2 weeks old). Cities are making a promise to abolish or defund the police and put safety back in the hands of the community. Some cities are getting rid of fatal police practices (like chokeholds). Corporations are support Black Lives Matter and putting out there for the public to see. Peaceful protests are happening through communities. But to put things in perspective, did you realize:

1. The Montgomery Buss Boycott lasted 382 days (that’s over a year of boycotting).
2. The Greensboro sit-ins lasted 6 months.
3. The Freedom Riders lasted 7 months.
4. The Birmingham movement lasted 37 days.

My thoughts are all scattered and this posts is also a little bit that way as well. This country and maybe even parts of the world has a problem. Some thoughts that have stuck with me:

-This is not THEIR problem, it is OUR problem.

-COVID is less than 1 year old and we’re looking for a vaccine to erradicate it…we have found a “vaccine” for racism and that is 400+ years old.

-People need to check their privilege – not just white people, but others as well.

-Let the voices of those who have been experiencing racism and oppression be heard (amplify their voices) and listen…learn.

-Systemic racism is a serious problem and has had years and years to gain momentum – politics.

-Riots and protests are voices of the unheard.

-There is no right way to protest (protesting is one of the given rights as an American).

-The US has the highest rate of incarceration, many of which are Black – this is f*** ridiculous.

-The conversation will be uncomfortable, just like change is uncomfortable, but this is completely necessary.

-Silence is violence…and really does not help with progress.

-Did you realize, this country – the grand ol’ US of A, was stolen from the people that originally inhabited it, then grew, because of slaves that were stolen from their country to make this one prosperous, to become what it is today? Technically speaking or literally speaking, this is not wrong. Would we be the “Land of the Free” without the Native Americans who gave up their lives and their land, the slaves taken from Africa or the immigrants who came seeking a better life to do the jobs that others didn’t want to do?

-It’s not all about George Floyd; it’s also about those that came before him.

There are many more things, but these are the things I can think of right now…at this moment. It’s time for us as a people, as human beings, to speak up, to stand behind our fellow human beings, to support them because Black Lives Matter and when Black Lives Matter, all lives will matter.

Not all my words my be correct or accurately expressing what I’m feeling or intending to say, but like everyone going through this and living this, it’s all a work in progress and without the mistakes and the flubs we can’t get better. We can’t be afraid to speak up. I mean the sayinig “practice makes perfect” is a saying for a reason, right? Well, perfection, in it of itself, it’s objective and unattainable, but we can all strive to do our best and be our best.

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