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Black people are so tired right now. Exhausted. We are underemployed and over incarcerated. Even with the same education, we are paid less than our white counterparts. We are more likely to be without health insurance or access to quality medical care.
And we are dying because of it. This pandemic has made it plain. Exposed it. We make up 13% of the population and 23% of the deaths. Blacks are more likely to be essential workers and so there is greater risk of exposure and less access to care.
And we are dying.
So our young athletes are raising their voices to try and get Americans to hear and feel our pain. To see us. To care. We can’t just keep entertaining ourselves. We need you to hear us and be willing to help bring about change. We have always had white allies in the struggle.
So allies, thank you for your willingness to listen and care. Thank you for not yelling “All lives matter” when you hear Blacks saying BLM. We are not saying we matter more than anyone else. Just to understand that our lives matter too. No more and no less.
Thank you for not retorting with “what about all the black on black crime in Chicago?” when we decry violence by the police against young black men and our communities.
The dismantling of these systems that have been in place for generations will not be removed or dismantled easily. And so thank you allies for your willingness to listen and learn and care and march and fight with us.
