Stepping Outside of Privilege

Imagine growing up in a world where you have power and privilege just because you were born a certain race. You are comfortable, the world is generally accommodating to your wants and needs, and most of the obstacles you encounter usually have nothing to do with the color of your skin. Now imagine stepping out of your comfortable position to speak up for people who don't look like you, live where you live, experience life how you experience it, or share your history. Why bother putting your neck on the line when life is generally comfortable for you? Why risk being ridiculed by people of your own race for standing up for another race? What motivates you to put your energy into something that is so outside of yourself, and seemingly has nothing to do with you continuing to live your privileged life?

I have always seen the ability to step outside of yourself and into some else’s shoes as the most honorable act. Putting our own feelings aside to tap into someone else’s does not come easy for many of us. The United States of America is experiencing massive amounts of racial tension right now, and if we are honest with ourselves, America has never really fully gone past racial tension since the days of slavery. The fight for equality and to simply be treated as a human being has been long for Black Americans, but if you have been paying attention to history, you will notice that the number of White Americans that have joined the front lines of this battle for equality have significantly increased since the day of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. More White Americans are acknowledging that fact that they indeed have White Privilege and are deciding to use it to uplift an oppressed group of people. I can’t help but think that over time, more White Americans has come to view Black Americans as human beings who are no different on the inside as they are. Thanks to being 66 years deep into integration, White Americans now live with, work with, vacation with, and experience life with Black people. Black people are no longer just the folks in the next town over. For White people, Black people are now coworkers, associates, friends, husbands, wives, and cousins. The emotional connection between the two races has evolved over time. Humanity has served us well by opening the eyes and hearts of White Americans who realize that, “what Black people are experiencing is not right”. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in my neighborhood, and my eyes filled with tears at least 3 times. It felt so good seeing people who didn’t know me or look like me standing up for me! Hearing a white man yell to the top of his lungs “Justice For George Floyd!” gave me chills. Hearing the passion, anger, hurt, and determination in his voice was a moment of connection for me…we were feeling the same emotions inside despite our outer differences. Seeing white people holding signs high with names like Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Ahmaud Aubery, and Philando Castile spoke to me, and what I heard inside was “Enough is enough! You will not continue killing black people, and we are here to protect them!” …My heart was full, and at that moment I knew that coming together and supporting others, especially the oppressed, is what America was meant to do in this moment of history. I understood that there are people out there that truly believe in the saying, “United we stand, divided we fall”, and if I could, I would add “despite our differences” to the end of that phrase.

From the depths of my heart I want to say THANK YOU to those in America and all over the world who are using their voice to help those whose voices have historically gone unheard. This Black American woman sees your strength, humanity, and most of all, your hearts.