Being from a southern state racism is nothing new to us, we’ve
seen it first hand and are now witnessing it at the forefront on a national
scale in ways that we have never seen before but should have happened long ago.
As, I believe it was Will Smith, said “Racism isn’t new it’s just now being
recorded and shared in a variety of ways like never before”. I can’t fathom
having to have a talk with my child about walking down a street, or going for a
run, or in some cases sadly existing peacefully in my home unaware that that
danger is literally at my front door and there’s very little I can do to stop
it. Things have certainly escalated in the past few years, hell in the last few
months.
These issues should have always been news because the
struggle of a large group of our people is newsworthy. Not just during
protests, or riots, or even during a pandemic but as we all know the news
eventually pivots and changes their focus and the peaceful protest still going
on don’t get the coverage they deserve. Until a car is set on fire, or a man returning
a helmet gets shoved to the ground, or a rope is hanging in a garage in a very
specific manner, or a “Karen” stands “her ground” with her husband and his assault
rifle when no one was bothering them to begin with. Then the attention returns
but not for any of the right reasons and the message gets distorted, twisted, and
sadly diminished.
We don't know what has taken so long for this to become a
national and even a global call to action, but the time to stand up is now.
Everyone has the capacity to help all it takes is love and compassion and the
ability to know right from wrong and acting accordingly when you are given the
chance.
If you are like me you’ve thought how can I get involved,
what can I do? Well as Golden told me …. You can help in several ways. You can
march. Donate time, money or resources to larger cities with protests for bail.
Or on a small scale look local, find the school systems that are comprised of
majority students of color, odds are they get less resources &/or funding,
donate money, time or supplies to the children there, pay someone’s lunch bill
or school fees. Literally anything.
Give to programs that help low income families that don’t
have the financial backing of a federal program. Granted not all people of
color are impoverished or low income but due to generations of racism impacting
those in charge they tend to pay black women for instance less in the workplace
and redraw school districts to clump certain areas together so that black
children don't have to be bused in to go to the same schools. Which leads to
poor funding then to limited education and then to limited choices after school
to working jobs with low pay that make it tough to make ends meet doing things
the “right way.” Aka the cycle continues. So the best way to help is to try and
break that cycle.
Inner city programs feed the children programs, local
community centers all offer programs that work to break that cycle from an
early age by offering education and extend choices beyond what they see on a
daily basis. Or reach out to women shelters and abuse centers that help provide
nice business clothes for women who can't afford them so they can go to job
interviews. All of these cost money and your funding would be very welcome.
Your time and other resources would be welcome too. However, during this
pandemic money might be the way to go.
You can be an ally and if you see someone being a douchebag Karen
stand up for those in need or use your white woman/man super power and call out
Karen’s in a non-abusive way of course. Don’t be KAREN!
Other ways to help would be to allow that neighbor or friend
who wants to peacefully join the marches by offering to watch their children while
they do so. Or ask the neighbor or friend if you can join them at said march.
If you do march however please do all of us pale crackers a favor …. don't make
shit about you. Be a shield and a record holder use your camera and take notes
of cops names and non-cop-wanna-bes names and car tag numbers for anyone behaving
outside the law. Realize that within the black community there is also the
trans community and should these individuals get arrested for protesting they
get thrown into a jail where because of being trans they are beaten abused and
raped before bail can be posted. Donate to their cause. Reach out to them and
let them know their struggle is equally as important and you are with them.
Protect them all with all that you can and then support them fully afterwards.
Check in on your friends and coworkers. Learn the phrase
Black Lives Matter FULL STOP. Period. Without trying to pad it. When you see
people bird watching or picnicking or buying cigarettes or just trying to live
their life mind your own fucking business.
The best thing you can do is invite that neighbor over to
the house for something to drink, maybe share a meal, break bread create fellowship.
Know that the conversation won’t be easy, it will be uncomfortable and while
you might not make a bestie you might not be so concerned the next time they
turn around in your driveway to go back home because they forgot something. Who
knows you might meet your new bestie and be a better person for it.
Or …. Do nothing at all. Stand on the sideline without
adding to the noise, without trying to bend the rhetoric, let their voices
sing. Don’t start the chant but maybe join it so it can be louder. Help that
person who physically can’t hold up their sign anymore hold it higher. The
point is do what you feel comfortable doing in the setting that you find yourself
in but know that because you ignore what’s happening it will not go away, nor
should it. This has been coming for a long time and it’s just getting started. The
world will change for the better. We fully believe that in our hearts.
This is a turning point, that the light is shining brightly
where it needs to at this moment and when my voice is quiet, Golden’s is
louder. I believe that we will soon get back to posting about fun things again
but for now wear a mask, help when and where you can, and for goodness sakes
stop it already with the fireworks. Golden may be team no sleep, but I … I like
sleep and I miss it. Days will be brighter soon, I feel it, cause if this is
the end game…. well…that will be ok too … I guess.
Marcy & Golden
SayWhat MG
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