Blooming While Black in America? #BloomBeryl

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
- Micah 6:8
 
It’s been a tough week.
It’s extremely exhausting to be black in America.
I’ve felt hopeless, frustrated, angry, sad, disturbed, uneasy, and fearful all in a matter of days.
I’ve cried. I’ve asked myself how can there be change when there has been a longstanding pattern of lack of concern for the black man for so long?
I’ve prayed and prayed and tried my best to believe in faith that God will work everything out.
But through it all I’ve felt challenged. How can I live up to my blog’s name and bloom, even while black in America?
 
As we all know, George Floyd’s life was suddenly taken from him two weeks ago by a police officer with other officers standing by. A death like his was shocking, disturbing, and saddening. Perhaps the saddest part of all is that this is nothing new. Police brutality against black people has been occurring for years. The only new concept is that in recent years smartphones have become widely available, so more incidents have been caught on tape and distributed. The many injustices, racism, profiling, and violence perpetrated against black men and women needs to stop. But for this to stop, it will require major changes to occur in this country.
 
This issue is deep. It began hundreds of years ago when we were taken from our homes in Africa and thrust into slavery. Unfortunately the truth is that racial injustice has been part of the heart and soul of America since the first slave ships arrived on our shores. Fast forward to 2020. We’re STILL dealing with systemic racism, white supremacy, non-overt racism, implicit bias, mass incarceration, racial profiling, and more. (*please look into each of these terms*) For those who think that there isn’t a problem, and that you have no role to play in it, that is not true. It’s no longer enough to not be racist. We need a new generation that is anti-racist. We have so much farther to go.

How can I bloom while being black in America? How can I hold my head up high as a black woman and still succeed against all odds? How can others and I be a part of change and contribute to racial reform? How can non black people be allies, support the cause, and unashamedly speak the truth to others? The following list is by no means exhaustive, but it is my two cents. And this list is for everyone. Despite the title of this post, everyone has a part to play, and regardless of your race you CAN help. You CAN bloom as a beautiful black person in this country. You CAN bloom as an ally to your black brothers and sisters.

1. KNOW YOUR WORTH – Even if no one has told you this today, you are valued. Know that your life matters. Black lives matter. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And for those of you are not black, make it a point to live a life that reflects the inherit value of every human, particularly the black community.
2. USE YOUR VOICE – Speak up against injustice against black people. Post on social media. Have hard conversations with your friends, coworkers, and family. Sign petitions (linked below). This problem won’t go away if we sweep it under the rug. Racism begins in the mind so you never know what a conversation will do to change generations-old ideology. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – MLK Jr. Consider also using your voice to enact policies through the people we choose as elected officials.
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND OTHERS - Jane Elliott says, “People who are racist aren’t stupid, they’re ignorant. And the answer to ignorance is education.” What I’ve found over the past few weeks is that many people want to help but they don’t know how. Read and disseminate resources that will help others become actively involved in the black struggle. You can watch movies like 13th, Fruitvale Station, 12 Years A Slave, and Selma all of which will open your eyes to injustices. You can read books by black authors and books that feature black voices.
4. DONATE AND BUY BLACK – Put some of your coins into funds and organizations that are doing real work to see change. There are SO MANY to choose from but here are a few: NAACP, ACLU, Black Visions Collective, Black Lives Matter, and The Liberty Fund. Likewise, you can buy from black-owned companies and even bank black.
5. RAISE THIS GENERATION DIFFERENTLY – Whether you’re a parent or not, you most likely have some level of influence in a child’s life (a niece or nephew, family friend, neighbor, child at church, cousin, etc). We all need to have hard conversations with the children around us and help them recognize that race does exist but doesn’t define a person. Encourage them to play with and befriend other kids of diverse backgrounds; read them books with black and brown characters. Teach them to stand up for racial injustice at a young age. Help this to really be the generation to see the change.
6. PRAY – This point is one of the most important ones. Pray earnestly and with a heart full of faith that God will shift the racial atmosphere in America. Pray for repentant hearts for everyone, maybe even us included. Pray for justice. Pray for change.

This list and this article are by no means exhaustive. It’s just a place to start. As Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This fight is not just the black man and woman’s fight. It should be the fight of everyone who believes in justice and what’s right. Please continue to use your voice for change and I believe change will come.
 
<3 Beryl
 
Resources:
 
https://lectureinprogress.com/journal/resources-for-supporting-black-lives-matter-movement
 
https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234
 
https://readlikearockstarteaching.com/blog/
 
https://www.usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration
 
https://www.standwithbre.com/
 
https://www.change.org/p/human-rights-campaign-justice-for-ahmuad-aubrey-2
 
https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd