Black Lives Matter.
I’ve never articulated it before now, and honestly I’m not altogether sure why. It never affected me personally, I guess. It simply wasn’t on my radar. And for that I am deeply ashamed.
I’m ashamed that as a white woman, a mother, and a Christian, I was so woefully, inexcusably ignorant and unaware. That I saw what was unfolding all across the nation over and over again and still chose not to see. That I decided not to use my voice—with all its blatant white privilege—as a force for change in the face of inherent, obvious racism. In my silence, I was complicit—and I’m sorry.
As the mama of two little white girls, I have a weighty responsibility raising up and educating the next generation to be better, to avoid making the mistakes of this one. But first it starts with me.
Last night, at a protest in Flint, Michigan, the sheriff ordered his officers to put down their weapons and turned to the grieving, desperately hurting community before him:
“We are mad too! What can we do?”
Eight simple words that in that moment changed everything.
Eight simple words that broke down a wall and opened the door to a display of heartfelt solidarity and reconciliation between law enforcement and a community that needed to be heard.
Eight simple words that may not be anywhere close to an answer but at least it’s a start.
Thomas Jefferson said: “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
It may have taken me far too long to get here—but today I stand here outraged. And I’m ready to ask the question: “What can I do?”
Are you?
Photo credit @lenikeiphotography_