Some things seemingly go without saying and other things just DON'T! Why is the notion and concept of BLACK LIVES being important lost upon the broader society? While we can draw a parallel and link between what has, in fact and indeed, eroded the soul of the racist American patriarchy that most have come to associate as “the land of the free” which paradoxically is the very homestead of the voiceless, the unheard, the marginalized, and exploited black people. It is indeed exhausting to consider that as black people we must defend our very existence in a land for which we are deemed FREE. But, freedom isn't free – and certainly not those with skin of a particular hue. Not only so, the notion of being free-ish is emerging as a means by which black people are best able to articulate the reality of living in America during a time when our black sons, black daughters, black brothers, black sisters, black fathers, and black mothers are being killed (or should I say continuing to be killed at the hands of vindictive, divisive, white supremacist vultures). These very ones that are on the opposite end of the literal and proverbial gun pointed at black people, don't believe that we, black people, matter. But, I am here to call forward a much different reality. WE MATTER!!! BLACK LIVES MATTER!!! Thusly, mustn’t cower down under the pressure of this deep systematic, toxic and fully exacerbating to the soul level oppression that we as black people have continued to face for centuries! WE, black people, must rise! We, black people, must remember that we matter!! We, black people, must declare outwardly and inwardly that WE MATTER!!! Why? because WE DO!!!! I love you! We love you!! And thanks to you Never 2 Fly 2 Pray was able to contribute $850 to the family of Rayshard Brooks who was MURDERED by the police at a Wendy's in Atlanta, all a result of his having fallen asleep in the drive-thru. How tragic!!! Our monetary contribution pales in compassion to the anguish the family and loved one’s are no less feeling during this time. This contribution in no way redeems the deep-seeded, long-lasting, ancestral trauma we each experience as we learn of, watch, or feel the gravity of the killing of yet another black life. But, it does demonstrate our allegiance to our own. It does demonstrate the spirit of our ancestors that calls for a response as a counter to the toxic realities perpetuated through the killings.
And dare I say, black trans lives matter too! Why is that important to state? It is important for the same reason we must state that black lives matter, because some seem to forget these things! Fighting for the lost lives of black men, less often doing so for the black female lives, and less than that bringing little to no light or fight to the murders of our black trans brothers and sisters is less than acceptable during this time! Are things beginning to look a little different? Sure. Has more attention come to the murder of Breonna Taylor, a black women killed at the hands of the police? Yes! However, we mustn’t forget. We must not only say their names, we must also contribute to their causes! We must do what we can knowing that we are indeed the way! If not us, then who? If not now, then when? We must not only fight in all the ways we can politically and otherwise, we must tell our own souls that we matter! God says we matter! I say you matter! Now let's all say, WE MATTER! BLACK LIVES MATTER! WE LOVE YOU!! Thank you again for making is possible to support our own. We made the donation in the name of NEVER 2 FLY 2 PRAY CUSTOMERS! STAY UP! – Elle B.
Link to the Official Rayshard Brooks Family GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/official-gofundme-for-rayshard-brooks
LOVE, ELLE B.