What we saw in Dallas last night was a largely peaceful protest against long-standing, and recent, legitimate concerns. Unfortunately, a few violent agitators took advantage of a peaceful protest to pursue their own, destructive agenda. https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2020/05/scenes-from-a-peaceful-protest-in-downtown-dallas/">https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburn...

But the reprehensible actions of those few should not drown out the message of the many who are in pain, and who have been suffering under an inequitable system during a crisis that has hit the black community the hardest. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/05/28/covid-19-has-hit-black-neighborhoods-in-dallas-hard-heres-why/">https://www.dallasnews.com/news/publ...

In Dallas, before COVID-19, the black community has already experienced so much pain stemming from the killings of Jordan Edwards, Sandra Bland, Botham Jean, and Atatiana Jefferson. https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/sisters-of-atatiana-jefferson-botham-jean-and-sandra-bland-launch-national-movement-to-fight-police-brutality/287-54e44a69-53f3-4593-a9e6-a3746b89204c">https://www.wfaa.com/article/n...

To be clear, none of this justifies the violence and looting that we saw last night. It is, however, important context to understand what many African Americans and people of color across North Texas are feeling.

I was born & raised in Dallas. It’s always been a city w/ vastly different outcomes based on where you live & what you look like. That history is still very much with us. It’s something we must acknowledge if we’re going to deliver real, equitable change. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2019/10/28/dallas-data-highlights-large-racial-disparities-in-justice-education-systems/">https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2019...