This blog is long overdue. A few weeks ago, when I heard of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, my heart was hurt along with millions of other African-American men, women, and children. I kept thinking to myself, what can I do? What can I say to encourage my community? It was then that I took to my journal and began writing. As I was writing the phrase, “You can’t sit with us,” popped in my mind. It is probably one of the most iconic lines of the movie Mean Girls. The more I thought about it; I began looking at that phrase in the lense of the African-American community. For decades we have been mistreated by a government that claims it’s for the people, just not our people.
We are continually denied our freedom every time an innocent black man, woman, or child is murdered.
“You can’t sit with us,” but those who believe that black lives matter can stand with us. Stand on what is right and just! When I say you can’t sit with us, it means that we’ve been sitting in places that were designated for only us. When we stepped outside those designated areas, we suffered consequences. We sat at the back of the bus and had to give up our seats. We now sit in passenger seats unarmed, fearful of being shot. Americans fear us, but they need to wake up; we mean no harm!
To exist in a world where your skin color isn’t seen as a crime would be beautiful. Imagine black people being able to live in peace without being ridiculed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream hasn’t gone in vain we just haven’t seen the full manifestation. It is up to us and our allies to stand up and fight for change. So no, you can’t sit with us, look how far that has gotten us. Stand with us and be apart of a movement that is cultivating change. One that is setting the precedence for how minorities should be treated.
In light of everything going on, I decided to create a “You can’t sit with us” t-shirt. I believe a powerful way to create change is to embody it, and what better way than wearing a t-shirt that emphasizes a point. You can show your support by purchasing one today! Click the link below for more information.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/APeaceofTy?ref=search_shop_redirect.
A Peace of Ty 