GEORGE FLOYD.

I am a product of a mixed race Jamaican dad, and a mother with original Arawak Jamaican Indian blood running through her veins. I move amongst all levels of society, consisting of all races. I don't fake, I create my space. Racism for me boils down to a level of misunderstanding and lack of knowledge of one's culture and struggles. It's bred out of an ignorance for others that look and think different.

As a human being, I understand fully that racism is around me. I, as an Afro-Caribbean-British woman, have only experienced a blatant assault of racism one time in my life. It was when I used to work in a hospital in Brooklyn, New York, and it was a Puertorican man who said he didn't want to be assisted by a N---er. He told me to suck his d--k, and f--k me. Little did he know that I spoke and understood Spanish very well. I did nothing to this dude. I was just Black. It took all of my composure to not slap this man across his skull with the keyboard. I thought about my career and my surroundings. Even though he disrespected me, I wasn't sure if my job would have my back. What ended up happening was, the Director pulled me into her office, she was Afro-American, told me to take a four hour lunch on them, and she made excuses for this person, blaming it on alcohol. Meanwhile, they serviced this man, who just disrespected their co-worker.

At the time, I had mixed feelings. I felt that he should have been escorted out. Now, fifteen years later, I get it. When you allow people to get away with blatant forms of racism where people lose their lives, the behaviour will never stop. When you show no tolerance, then the people with the hate will take notice and think twice. The hatred in their heart wont necessarily go away, they just wont be so quick to express their views, be it by physical or verbal means. They will have to respect your being.

George Floyd wasn't the first. However, I do believe he is the first one to create unity. They are protesting in the United Kingdom for this man. People of all stations in live, and races. Everyone in the World stands with America, even if the government doesn't.

I do hope that people build off of this. Create community groups that work in the police stations as a type of monitoring force with authority to question officers with possible volatile issues. Background checks are not enough. Affiliations need to be checked. If people are going to be given a gun and a legal right to shoot, then as a people, we should be able to check whether those people are in groups whose agenda is to push their own race.

I remember Rodney King getting dogged out on national television. That should have been it. He wasn't the first either, but his went live. Nothing changed. I do hope folks stick together, start thinking outside the box, and begin to acquire knowledge to move forward.

Being outraged and disgusted with what was done to this man for a week or two, isn't going to do it. Changing how we move through life, will. The change starts with you. Together, we can move mountains. Alone, it's pointless.

I have been reading all of the views on social media and I hear what the common feeling is. Fed up, ready to put up, but not sure if anyone else will. It's hard to challenge the system when you feel people will not have your back or stand with you. You end up looking like another Che, a Revolutionist. Sometimes that's a good thing.

In any event, I do feel there needs to be an open dialogue with members of the community and law enforcement. I do believe that demands should be made and a mutual understanding should be achieved. Without that, then the protests are pointless. Vote in people with records of fairness throughout the careers, or nominate someone you know, whose passionate about making a change. You don't have to be a Politician to win an election.

Look who is in power now.

Joan.