“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it!_
Zora Neale Hurston
As a triple minority I feel uniquely qualified to speak on the subject matter of “All Black Lives Matters.” I am Black, a Woman, and Queer, these three inseparable identities make up the complex life that I navigate daily. As a woman who has experienced racial discrimination and homophobia it is my duty to tell the story of the oppressed, marginalized, and ostracized; hence “The Unleashed Voice!”
Unlike President #45 would have you to believe the chapters of “Black Lives Matter” is not a terrorist organization. It is my pleasure to educate you about the true meaning of the words “All Black Lives Matter.” This name was derived from three queer Black women who created a movement after the killing of Trayvon Martin and unharmed teenager killed in FL. The name implies that the killing of unarmed black men by police genocide was unacceptable and the black community was calling out the injustices. Through this movement many injustices have been identified and shared with mainstream people. Our community otherwise would not have collective access to this type of information.
I find it problematic that #45 and his supporters portray The Black Lives Matter movement as heretics or troublemakers. Due to the fact that black people refuse to align with the continued use of oppressive policies and practices. My ancestors built this country for FREE and we refuse to keep quiet about our pain, “No More Crumbs!”
Let’s be clear, when we say “All Black Lives Matter” it is not to negate any other race. Saying “All Black Lives Matter” is to raise awareness to the social constructs, systemic oppressions, and hundred of years of white supremacy practices. These systems has caused permanent damage to the black race. It is past time for the world to hear black folxs speaking about their pain. No longer can our silence be measured as a gauge of complacency or enjoyment for the oppressive systems we navigate daily. It is time for all of us to remove and replace the pillars of white supremacy that has created a racial deficit so large that black Americans are four generations behind white Americans in the wealth gap.
In March 2020, the world came to a pause under the declaration of a global pandemic caused by COVID-19. I believe during this global shutdown a reformation of awakening took place. The reigniting of a 1960’ish Civil Rights Movement was birth after the death of George Floyd. Marches were held in every corner of the world to protest the senseless killing of black unarmed men & women. In the words of Dr. Daniel Black “the killing of black folks started the day the ship landed on Plymouth Rock.” One could draw an undeniable conclusion that the “killing of black people is kin to an American hobby” this is nothing new. But what is new in 2020 is a unified front from people of all walks of life that say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” The “All Black Lives Matter” movement is about ordinary people finally seeing past the obvious and refusing to accept the left-over crumbs from the king’s plate, “NO MORE CRUMBS!”
This issue is intentionally dedicated to raising awareness about the pillars of White Supremacy. We see you, know that the veil has been removed from our eyes. We see the barriers and structures put in place to keep the black race inferior in this world. Before you draw any conclusion that this publication is radical and poses a terrorist threat. I challenge you to examine the racial makeup of the prison population of the United States. Examine the racial makeup of the lives lost due to COVID-19. Examine the poorest zip codes in your respective cities. Examine the number and manner unharmed black men and women who have been murdered in your community. Examine the lack of access to financial wealth by black folks. Examine the school districts in your cities. Examine the gentrification in your city. Examine the structure of ownership in major sports versus the makeup of black players. This movement is about BLACK FOLXS getting clear about who they are and that fighting for your life is always worth it!
Connect with Coach Gwen @ gwen.clemons@tuvmag.com for Transformation Coaching and Professional Development
