By Jake Pack
The recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd has rekindled an internal obligation to speak out against what is happening in America, that I thought I had once lost.
I have always used my voice, social media platform, and freedom to protest to battle against police brutality. However, over the years I have noticed that what was once a voice of frustration, despair, and fear eventually became insensibility.
I started to lose hope that the justice that myself and many others were fighting for would never manifest into reality. I became numb to seeing yet another black life taken from us due to incomprehensible police brutality.
Were people ever going to understand that these issues are real and can no longer be swept under the American flag?
The murder of George Floyd visually outlined the story we have long been trying to tell the world. Systematic racism is targeting black people at an alarming rate and those that have died by the disobedience of police officers have not been able to share their stories, so we are here to do this for them. We are their voice now.
The response by the media to George Floyd’s death was overwhelming. Finally, it felt like we were back to a platform that could be heard. But at what cost? The father of 6 year old Gianna Floyd.
Knowing this innocent girl was robbed of her father due to an issue this country has ignored for far too long instantly sparked the frustration I once felt watching the news of Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012.
Watching his death play out on video for over 8 mins, while he called out for his mother, instantly brought back the despair I once felt in 2014: watching Piaget Crenshaw describe the moments she watched police take the life of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Knowing George Floyd’s murderer, Derek Chauvin remained free following the initial video evidence reinstated the fear I once felt watching Alton Sterling’s murderer walk away free, further giving police a reason to believe they can continue killing us without legal repercussions.
George Floyd’s death brought back the importance of why we cannot loose momentum in this war against police brutality. This cannot just be another hashtag. We refuse to let this be just another headline the media buries away with their own narrative. We know the issue is real, and we have to face this head on until change is implemented. It has been so powerful to see the range of diversity joining this movement. This is no longer just a battle that we as black people have to fight alone. People are listening, people care to fight for our lives, and care to fight for the volume of our stories. This movement has restored a level of hope that I thought was once lost.
One team. One message. #BlackLivesMatter.