SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 , 2020. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ EE E9
Bria Benjamin
May 25, I went through the usual cadence of emotions. I
was devastated, furious, scared, sad, lonely, but also
functioning. I answered emails and sent deliverables. It
was really difficult to explain to friends and co-workers
checking in that “I’m fine.” I looked at the messages,
mainly confused. Why would today be any different than
yesterday? Last month? 2016? 2014 and the years before?
As a Black person, you learn at a young age how to
compartmentalize. Or, you’re supposed to. There will
always be the low drum of horror that tonight will be your
last night, or will be the night you get a phone call about
your brother, or dad, or cousin, or sister or uncle. You
learn to live with the hum while you do the humdrum
tasks of everyday life. Because your boss and co-workers
and professors don’t know what it’s like to see someone
who could’ve been you or your family taking their last
breath at the hands of police, then flood your social media
timelines and news channels. If you drop the ball, you
don’t have an opportunity to say, “Sorry, I’m grieving
someone I don’t know while thanking the universe that it
isn’t my family.”
I took a few days to myself, which wasn’t difficult given
that we’re all in isolation for another pandemic. But,
when I looked online, things hadn’t returned to normal.
And it had gone beyond George Floyd. People were
sharing books and resources and anything else to help
them learn about how far and deep American racism ran.
Protests stretched through the streets. And something in
the air just felt different in a way I couldn’t articulate.
There is an energy white people and non-Black people
have never had before. Not like this. They’re, and some for
the first time, seeing our grief and opening their eyes to
the other things we’ve been saying for hundreds of years.
They’re seeing what we see, and have been trying to get
them to see. They’re going, “Wow, this is really bad.” And
they’re not just talking to their Black friend(s) or their
fellow liberal friends to nod along. They’re talking to the
people I previously thought were out of reach. They’re
looking at themselves and the systems they’ve upheld.
They’re marching and shouting with us. For us.
I didn’t think it would happen in my lifetime. And, I’m
not a hopeful or optimistic person. But, when I look
outside, it seems like the United States has reached a
reckoning point, and it’s not stopping here.Benjamin is from Dallas and lives in Brooklyn.
@briabydesignEliana Rodgers
America in its entirety is not at a point of reckoning, but
large subsets of the population are. Up until March, the
system was working for the majority of Americans, at
least on a superficial level. A catastrophic perfect storm of
covid-19, the government’s sloppy response, and the
killings of George Floyd, Breonna Ta ylor and Ahmaud
Arbery created mass upheaval and unrest. It was
impossible not to see Derek Chauvin’s blatant disregard
for life, to not feel the magnified pain, anger and fear of a
people oppressed. With life now happening online,
people flocked to social media to share traumatic
anecdotes and frustrations with both the government and
police forces. Educational posts ensued as well: What
police abolition means, what the War on Drugs was really
about, how to be an anti-racist and a proper ally, what to
wear at protests. People, regardless of their background
and geographic location, united in person and online to
demand justice and advancement. This dissemination of
information and unified desire for deep change are
important steps on the path to a better world. The
revolution will not be televised, but it will be recorded.
We are nearing the precipice of America’s point of
reckoning, and we must not lose momentum. A system in
power changes only when threatened, and a united
population demanding radical change is a threat.Rodgers is from Belle Mead, N.J., and lives in New York.
@elianarodgersHeather Polk
Black Americans view public statements on the George
Floyd and Amy Cooper incidences with wariness. We are
frustrated with weak gestures and disingenuous attempts
by leaders who claim to prioritize inclusive business and
cultural environments, yet fail to. Black Americans don’t
need reflexive, trite gesturing on race. Actions speak
louder than words. In lieu of scripted press releases and
social media posts, show us that Black Lives Matter. Black
humanity is not a hashtag or a trending topic.
Sustained self-reflection, by white people in particular,
is necessary. White supremacy and racism are so deeply
embedded in U.S. culture, it’s been normalized. A true
reckoning requires dismantling systems and symbols that
support the idea of racial inferiority and superiority. “In
Lieu of Flowers” is a call to action through a series of
collages about the need to solve the myriad issues that
disproportionately impact Black people in the United
States. The collage with the female gaze acknowledges
George Floyd’s final words ... his cry for his mother.Polk is from Akron, Ohio, and lives in Chicago. @artcuresallJonell Joshua
Over the past few weeks I’ve cried, donated, shouted in
protest, thinking to myself, will we get the change we
need in this country once and for all? We see that there
are two pandemics killing Black Americans and it took
this cataclysmic moment for people to really see what has
been happening to us in this country for more than 400
years.
I have guarded optimism about whether this moment
will bring the change we need. We continually fight for
justice only to get ounces of “reform” brought on by our
outrage, and our common-sense demands are continually
pushed back as we exist in a system that was built on
slavery. If we continue to strategically move in mass and
protest, defund the police, and allocate those dollars to
education and community organizations, I think we can
seize this moment, but I hope those just waking up know
that this is going to be a long journey.Joshua is from Brooklyn and still lives there. @jonell.joshuaS0129-6x1.75RetropolisStories of the past, rediscovered.
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