Change doesn't stop with a prison sentence. Justice doesn't end with an arrest. It is still a problem that it took so long and protests all over the US for men who committed murder to be charged with the crime. But true justice would mean the sentence would fit the crime...and in this case it still doesn't. Justice comes when first-degree murder is charged as, regardless of the occupation, race, gender or social standing of the criminal or the victim.
Justice also shouldn't stop the conversations.
Dear white people, get uncomfortable and talk to people of colour. Confront your biases and put the work in to change them. And then talk to other white people. Be an agent of change. Silence only makes you a part of the problem.
Dear black people, in tackling systemic racism, don't forget about the issues of colourism that keep us separated. 'Black Lives Matter' is our mantra, but not the way we live. We talk the talk but don't walk the walk, and that is unacceptable. Get uncomfortable and talk to other black people about their experiences. Confront your biases about people who look like you, and talk about the unfair treatment we endure at the hands of each other. Silence only keeps you as a part of the problem.
Have a great Tuesday!
-Tali
