This isn’t something we haven’t seen before. Ever since elementary school, we have learned about Martin Luther King, his dream, Rosa Parks, and the Civil Rights movement. Seeing those black and white photographs in our books, we were under the illusion that all those events took place many decades back, before film in color existed. We believed that everything is good now and everyone is equal no matter the color of their skin.

Now that we’re older we realize that segregation still existed not that long ago, the Civil Rights Act was enacted only 56 years ago, younger than most of our grandparents. And unfortunately that racial inequality still exists. Now we’re seeing Black people fight the same fight their parents and grandparents fought so that they would be free, a fight that they shouldn’t have to be fighting. It doesn’t matter what race you are or if you’re related to a cop or not or if you’ve never had a run in with a cop, show support. Racial privilege is real but it doesn’t make you a bad person if you use it to help those that don’t have it. I’m Mexican and I realize that even though my people suffer racism, I still have privilege because no matter how much backlash I get, it will never be what black people experience. I’m passing by, so a cop will never hurt me, but I’m still angry. Why is it that in a country that was built on the motto of being the land of the free, black people can’t walk the streets safely and freely like everyone else? How does the color of your skin make you a criminal?

When people protest to be out during quarantine, they’re seen as Americans using their first amendment right. When POC protest for equality, it’s seen as chaos, where is the logic? How many more lives have to be lost? How many more names have to become hashtags? How many more families have to bury their loved ones?  How many more riots do we have to see? How many more murderers get to walk around free until people realize that the system is severely messed up and that not all lives matter until black lives finally matter.

I understand that with quarantine and other personal reasons, people might not be able to protest but that shouldn’t stop you. If you can donate, even if it’s five dollars, please do. And if you can’t, I understand, but don’t let that stop you either. Inform others, sign petitions, call state attorneys and lawmakers, and check up on your black friends, make sure that they know that they don’t have to fight this war alone. 

If you want to get involved by signing petitions, contacting lawmakers, and making donations, visit https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/