Black Lives Matter, Too

In the last few years I’ve avoided social media and tend not to get into dialogues about race relations, politics or religion. However over the last few weeks I’ve seen how our perceptions as individuals have been skewed by our own experiences and privileges. Being Jamaican, I was fortunate to grow up in a society where I was a part of the racial majority. As such, I never experienced systematic racism as many of my African American brothers and sisters. However I have been careful not to dismiss their experiences because of my failure to fully understand their reality. 

White Cop, Bad Cop – Racial Tension Following the Grand Jury Decision in both the Eric Garner and Michael Brown Case

Protestor Boss Bastain of St. Louis locks arms with others as they confront Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers in front of the Ferguson police station on Monday, Aug. 11, 2014. Marchers are entering a third day of protests against Sunday’s police shooting of Michael Brown. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Robert Cohen)

Emotions are raw as we bear evidence to police brutality and continued racial tensions in the United States. For decades we have understood that racism is real and it is a threat to our society. This year we have had a number of incidents that have brought the issue of racial profiling to the forefront of everyday dialogue. In guiding this discourse I believe the media plays a very important role which at times seem destructive.