here’s an example of institutional racism I see play out all the time:

I work with chronically mentally ill individuals and often we have to advise families to be ready to call 911 if a situation becomes a crisis because of suicidal or homicidal ideation/behaviors

in these situations, where an individual’s life is at risk b/c of psychosis or mood symptoms, every second matters

families of color, however, will immediately tell me there’s no way they will call 911 because once they do they know it could end with the death of their loved one

sadly, as we see again and again, this fear is obviously well founded

I try to imagine what it must be like to live this reality

where the people we call for help without a thought are the people other families have to fear getting involved with

it’s traumatizing

its horrific

as Christians, we have to speak out, we have to fight alongside our sisters and brothers, we have to loudly proclaim that #BlackLivesMatter

we have to be willing to cast off this racist society and work to build a new one in the shell of the old