I’ve been ruminating on last week. A man named Christian Cooper avoided unnecessary arrest (and worse) in NYC on Memorial Day. I was relieved. “He won’t be a hashtag,” I said. But I spoke too soon. On that same day, miles away, another man, George Floyd, was killed in Minneapolis.
Dang.
Trayvon Martin. Rekia Boyd. Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Tony McDade. There are names we will never even hear about. The list of names, sadly, continue. And it shouldn’t.
I don’t have any metaphors. I don’t have any analogies to give. Honestly, I’m exhausted, and I know other Black people are too. Tired of being seen as criminals. Tired of being seen as less than/three-fifths of a person. Tired of pretending to be alright. Tired of seeing another Black life being turned into a hashtag on social media. Tired of racism, police brutality, and being absolutely and righteously furious. We don’t just want positive change, we want it to stick.
Protests are happening around the world. People are demanding and fighting for justice. We deserve to be heard.
Please just let us live in peace.