I can’t breathe
George Floyd. Police brutality against Black people. Injustice. Racism. White supremacy. White privilege. Black Lives Matter.
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. 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...
Honestly, I can't focus right now. I'm shocked because white cops killed another innocent black man again. I'm angry because they keep doing it like it's ok. I'm horrified because they tried to justify their actions again. I'm saddened because another black life got murdered at the hand of whites like an entertainment... and I'm fucking pissed off at this fucked up systemic racism, white supremacy and white privilege that are interwoven in American culture for centuries and blacks and people like us still have to go through this fucking ghetto ass America because the white system is oppressing us. These thoughts go on in circle. But in the midst of this chaos, I decided to go to my heart and started feeling it. What can I do to change? How can I support? I don't want to just do a lip service. I don't want to just post on social media to superficially show up. So, I reached out to my African American friends and let them know I care. I asked what I can do to be a support of them and be of Black community. Below, you'll see what five individuals expressed during our conversations.
#BlackLivesMatter
It is very unsettling how it seems like we are hearing about blacks dying at the hands of whites more and more and more. It seems like almost every other week. It’s a very unsettling feeling. This world we live in have some really bad people in it.
It’s absolutely sickening and saddening because what can we do to fix this system without causing more crime and bloodshed. I honestly am hurting for my people and am in shock about all of this from the pandemic and now even more open racism. It’s ridiculous!!
Thank you for your encouraging words. Yeah it totally sucks how there is so much hating in the world today especially on racial levels. Although I do Stay Optimistic that Good will come from All that is happening. I accidentally walked into the BLM ralley yesterday at Pershing Square, was exciting but left before it really got crazy last nite. I Feel All Lives Matter to keep it real. I really appreciate hearing from you, all I ask from you is that you & Amado continue being a good friends.
Honestly my best advice is to be as fearlessly supportive as you can be. When you hear your friends, family, associates speaking negatively about Black folks or anything relating to us, correct them. That’s literally all I can ask. I think we’ve all gotten really used to allowing other ppl to spew hatred whenever they felt like it. I think many of us believe that we’re allowing people to have their own voice, their own perspective...but we need to develop an ability to recognize when a certain perspective is dangerous in the wrong hands. Many non black people don’t have an inside point of view about what’s going on with us. Nearly everything that non black folks know about us is thru some outside source like the media or “academia “. Just tell people that all people of color are oppressed/marginalized in some way. Whether we care to admit it or not, we (POC) have all had our run ins with being marginalized and facing stereotypes...but black people have always been given a very unique concoction of hatred and oppression. It’s not quite like anyone else’s. We are targeted worldwide and most people outside of our group(and even within it) don’t care to understand our origin story....they don’t care to understand why our culture and entire community is disarray here in America. For centuries there’s been a war on black genetics. And the random killings you see now are a perfect example of it. Even the gang banging that has been normalized into our culture derives from KKK, white supremacy ideologies. It’s baffling to know how many things are funded by open white supremacists. Things that are marketed to blacks as being good and helpful. Tell non black folks that cops began as slave patrol officers here in America when slavery began to flourish. Police were poor, uneducated whites who simply needed a job and was hateful of black people for “taking their jobs” even though much of it was involuntary servitude. Cops have been able to get away with so many terrible things ever since then...all under the guise of justice. Black people have been getting lynched for public entertainment for years!!!! This is nothing new. And until non black people have the guts to stand against this system, we’re gonna keep dying. Many of us believe in a higher power. I believe that higher power wants us to wake up and stop trusting these people with our lives. MLK said a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. No one should be comfortable with the idea of someone being killed for no reason by officers of the law. Even more so, what the media doesn’t show is that cops kill all kinds of people all the time. Cops kill unarmed Latinos and even sometimes whites. There’s probably even more stories that are covered up. Any government that allows the constant slaying of a specific group of people is NOT trustworthy. Whether someone likes black people or not, no one deserves to experience such suffering. And the people who have witnessed the death will never be the same. There’s never any justice. There’s never any change. And it’s largely because most people think we’re lying and exaggerating. People tend to assume black people to be dramatic but....these people don’t know that they couldn’t last one single day as a black person. I wish it was a glamorous as TV makes it to be. But all we ever do is die, and no one cares. People take and take from us....but when we ask for help, we’re never supported. But there may be a change on the horizon. It seems like non black people are starting to listen. Just make sure you tell as many people as you can that even if they have had a negative experience with a black person, an entire group should not be judged by the actions of some. Many of us black folks have a chip on our shoulder because we are often confronted with SO much hatred and disgust. So much intolerance. We’re just like anyone else. You really made me cry Yasko because I’m really scared for what the future holds for all of us who choose to speak up. I’m so hurt that people hate each other so much. I feel powerless, too. But little things like you asking what you can do to help...that shit means a lot. And more people need to do it. Maybe black folks and immigrants will start to feel some type of dignity and importance if more people really tried to help. Try to learn beyond small talk. We’ve all had small talk for so long. It’s time for real talks. I haven’t cried this whole time. This is my first time crying. I feel like I don’t know what to do to help people like us win. I don’t know what to do to help all the good people who... are just tryna live their lives. The more I learn, the more I realize that every human is just tryna survive. Even the cops doing horrible things. We’re all just tryna survive and we’re all scared because we don’t even understand life. I’ve been praying for so long. Me and my husband been tryna bring some kinda clarity to this society. It’s amazing that things are finally starting to open up, people are starting to have conversations.... I just wish people didn’t have to die in the process. People go to church every Sunday and don’t have any sympathy for all of the oppressed people around the world who are being...massacred. There’s genocides of all types happening right now. All of these people are normal people....it makes me so sad cuz I have a lot of love for everybody. I really hate seeing people suffer and I hate seeing people be confused.
I’m gonna send you a couple resources I have to help you start to recognize the way racism and white supremacy operates in society against black people. Also, the best way to ally with us is to check the racism and bigotry in your own community. There are people who you might consider lifelong friends and family in the Asian community that participate in the oppression/erasure of black people. It’s your responsibility to check them on their thoughts and behaviors.
Check out the resources below.
https://robbreport.com/lifestyle/news/black-lives-matter-2925286/
Amanda Seales' real talk. No sugar coating, no sensor but eye opening. Fast forward to 19:40 to get to Q&A.
This is how we non whites feel being dissed by naive white women/people who wants to passive aggressively put us down. Do you see it? Are you doing it???⬇️⬇️⬇️
Tamika Mallory, activist and co-founder of Until Freedom interview
Dear Asians, we sidelined this matter. We participated the whitespremacy that's against us.
Sen. Cory Booker
Did you have to tell this to your kids???
https://youtu.be/jxJcqPUA53w
9 Racial Justice Educators to follow
Support Black Communty, where to donate
https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/
