Disclaimer: This blog post in no way, shape, or form was written to disrespect or dishonor non-Black minorities and other oppressed groups. We each have our own distinctive cultures, traditions, and native tongues; we also must acknowledge the unique experiences, histories, and struggles we face.
Despite the extensive history of African American oppression (dating back to the shipment of slaves from Africa to the Americas), current events in our nation have revived the important Black Lives Matter movement.
Videos have recently circulated showing police brutality and the unjustifiable deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. In response, people have been posting on social media, protesting, rioting, and crying out to the government for change; to achieve justice for their mourning families and the larger Black community.
While other disenfranchised communities such as Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians also have a history of maltreatment and injustice, it is the Black community that is currently experiencing heightened, televised gloom. The creation and spread of the Black Lives Matter movement does not seek to negate their struggles. There is a time and place for everything, and now is the time to mobilize this specific movement.
Now is the time for the 400 years of oppression, systematic racism, and police brutality of African Americans, in specific, to be exposed and resolved. While racism has always existed, the use of smartphones and body cams are revealing a more truthful narrative of being Black in America.
Overriding the Black Lives Matter mission, with that of another community, displays a lack of empathy for Black issues and a willingness to comply with the status quo.
In 1619, African slaves were brought to “The New World” and to Latin America. Since then, African Americans have been battling for freedom and the right to live. African Americans provided the New World with a strong foundation; they cultivated the land and participated in wars without reparation or respect.
Through slave rebellions, the Civil Rights Movement, and currently, the Black Lives Matter movement, Black people in America are determined to get their voices heard by those in power.
Today, African Americans have the highest unemployment rates, the lowest high school graduation rates, and the highest rates of homelessness compared to White, Asian, and Hispanic Americans. Notably, African Americans are also more likely to be killed in the hands of the police.
Past efforts by the African American community led to the end of legal racial discrimination; this also benefited Asian, Hispanic, and Native Americans. This movement was also the springboard for women and the LGBT community.
After inspiring so many, benefitting groups should, in turn, work alongside their Black peers and support the Black Lives Matter movement. The cooperation of their fellow minorities is vital to achieving true equity and change in society.
All marginalized communities can get ahead when we stick together and end the division within us.