In A Matter of 48 Hours
July 7, 2016
A six-year-old boy holds “Stop Hunting Black Men” sign. Photo captured in 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina at a protest led by students and residents after the shooting death of Trayvon Martin by Lydia T. Blanco
In a matter of hours, children have watched their fathers drown in their own blood. Women have become widowed, mothers have lost their sons and a generation of young people will never get to experience the love of these men. In a matter of hours, lives have been forever changed.
The courage of Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds, her four-year-old daughter and those who film fearlessly is remarkable.
As heartbreaking as it was to hear Reynolds’ daughter utter, “It’s Okay. I’m right here with you”, her words will resonate with this country forever.
A permit in the car, a child in the back seat, a woman filming with her hands up, and raw footage. Will there be justice? #PhilandoCastile
— Lydia T. Blanco (@ElleBeeSincere) July 7, 2016
For those of us watching life flee from the bodies of unarmed men, it is not only a constant reminder of the history of this country but that no one is exempt.
Strange fruit is what they called us as they picked at us with their laughter and hate until we rotted. Dust to dust and watered by the light, we cross-pollinated this nation and its soil with our blood, sweat and tears.
People are demanding that black and brown people stop being hunted.
The past 48 hours has also been a reminder of how powerful social media platforms are when they are used as a tool to report on or a resource when crying out for help when your significant other is being murdered and you need the world to see.
A screen shot of Diamond ‘Lavish’ Reynolds’ video post after it reappeared after being taken down from Facebook.
Alton Sterling [unarmed with a gun in his pocket], Delrawn Small, Anthony Nunez [armed and reportedly suicidal] and Philando Castile [had a permit to carry] have been murdered in the past 48 hours at the hands of police officers around the country.
Every 28 hours unarmed black people are killed at the hands of officers in the US and it seems like that time is being shortened.
As the responsibilities and priorities of social platform companies shift as heavy content is published to their sites it is important that we use our the power of our words intentionally.
As the war raged against people of color continues remember to live out your truth, protect your peace and live.