"Silence"
It has taken a lot of time and continuous reflection to figure out what it means to speak out amid everything happening in The United States. How much of it needs to be on social media and how much of it can be a personal effort (behind the scenes) donations of time, energy, money, learning & absorbing more information, and voting - which cannot be limited to only a few weeks or months.
Black Lives Matter. Ending police brutality is a must. There are so many other structural changes that we as a country have to work toward. We need to examine what is going on, take notes, and start changing what we can where we can at every level. We can’t have lip service and performative activism. Not after people, of all kinds of backgrounds around the world, are sacrificing to make sure that we do better than we have.
For those who can vote - learn about candidates, up and down your ballot in not only the upcoming 2020 elections but future elections too - change starts in the booth. Sometimes it takes the voices in a nation and the entire world for a reminder.
Finding creativity during this time has been really hard. Choosing this song was a toss-up. There are so many amazing songs written, created, and produced by completely black ensembles. For a great playlist of extremely talented artists, check out The Wild Honey Pie's Mulititudes Juneteenth playlist - https://www.thewildhoneypie.com/playlists/multitudes-juneteenth
In the end, the song that kept coming back is “Silence” by Marshmello and Khalid. While originally more about love and it’s struggles, there's power in these lines about staying complacent.
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An Open Letter to anyone who wants to listen and real change:
What has really been happening in the country I love? Clearly more than we were taught. More than the majority is willing to admit. And truth be told, “yeah, I’d rather be a lover than a fighter" because it's easier and softer, but it seems wrong to do nothing at all. To continue to do nothing at all. Because it is wrong to do nothing at all.
Not everyone can protest or feels comfortable being verbal for any number of reasons but people can:
call your representatives to let them know your position on current issues (locally, statewide, and at the federal level)
donate time, pro bono services, money, learnings, energy to the cause(s) you care about
support black professionals by going to their establishments, watching their plays or enjoying their music and listen to your colleagues at work
listen to activists, sure you may not agree with everything, but they are trying to teach you a perspective that’s not yours
Empathy is not easy, but you can find one thing in common with everyone. Even if it's as simple as a tv show, we’re all humans.
It seems easy to do nothing because “all my life I’ve been fighting” for myself. So why stop to look now? This.is.different. We are fighting for something so much bigger than our individual selves or small communities now. We cannot let this moment escape us. As a society, we can’t just let this fade with no change and go back to what a lot of us consider normal. We will “never [feel] a feeling of comfort” anymore. If we go back then it’s over and humanity really deserves whatever is coming.
In the past week, in the past years, during “all this time” I admit, “I’ve been hiding.” Let me focus on what I need to do to live in my bubble and do what’s best for me in the end, and yes that’s important for my survival - “I never had” to really do anything for others. Now though, there are “someones to call” us together to share the fight of injustice that keeps showing its ugly head. “My own” nature is to be still, but that’s not going to work for the people around me. We are hearing a very clear call to action and we cannot ignore this.
“I’m so used to sharing” lines of songs in imagined play scenes and will continue to do that. This time though, it was time for me to actually embrace the “love” and support I have for my fellow Black Americans and not “be at one with the silence.”
Don't “tell me there’s no point in trying.” We are all in this. We need to do work now and continue to do the work that will make the difference in the future. The system is broken and hopefully both you and “I’ve been quiet for too long.” Let’s change that.
#BlackLivesMatter #rockthevote #empathy #listenfirst #endpolicebrutality #antiracism #standup
The music and video above is owned by the artists and their record labels, as applicable.
