Dear All,
As I sit here--alone--on this warm Saturday night, I feel unusual company. Not that sort of company that you can chat or take pictures with, but the intense presence of a “word cloud” in my mind. It’s as if that cloud had followed me around since April 4th, 2021--the last time I uploaded an article to this publication--. Trust me, I planned to post a piece 7 days later, but my word cloud had disappeared. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t finish an article. There are currently three unfinished articles sitting on my desktop, staring at me smack in the face. I concluded that my major writer’s block was because Advanced Placement (AP) Exam season was fast approaching, yet another SAT exam was soon to be administered, and my junior year of high school was about to end. Like many would, I decided to take a short break from writing. Intending for my break to last no longer than one week, it resulted in a month and a half long hiatus. And, within that month, dehumanizing transgender laws were passed in Tennessee, more innocent Black lives were taken, Palestine and Israel went up in flames, and Colombians were being murdered for protesting against their government. But, here is where I find myself lost again; how and when do I “jump back into things?” Do I apologize for my lack of activity? Will my audience understand?
The answer to those last two questions is, yes (or at least I hope so). I recognize and acknowledge my privilege in not being directly impacted by the current issues, and I apologize for not formulating a post about what so many are unfairly experiencing right now. The saying, “better late than never” uniquely applies to this situation because as we’ve consistently seen in the past, issues such as trans-rights, police brutality, and hostile relations between certain countries are not going away any time soon. With that in mind, I implore you to call politicians and representatives from the disappointing state of Tennessee to urge them to protect trans children in their state.
Furthermore, I ask that--regardless of your stance on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict--you do not engage with antisemitic propaganda online because spreading hate won’t grant Palestinians the peace and safety they deserve.
Additionally, I encourage you to donate to any organization (Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, Temblores ONG) supporting Colombian demonstrators, protecting Colombian children, and monitoring human rights abuse committed by Colombian police.
Finally, I call on you to be the change you want to see in the world. It is no longer enough to simply repost a black square on social media in support of Black Lives Matter. It is no longer enough to add #ACAB or #defundthepolice to your Instagram bio. It is no longer enough to say “I’m not racist.” Because, yes. Yes, we are. As of right now, I need you to acknowledge that we are inherently privileged because of our skin color. However, it is no longer enough to plainly admit the white privilege that lingers amongst all of our bodies. It is time that we, myself included, put in the work. No, it won’t be easy but it is our responsibility to unlearn the racist and biased actions that contribute to the injustices we see daily.
This starts with realizing that we are not helpless. In fact, we are far from it. Begin by educating yourself. Find out when your county’s next board meeting is. Be there and be prepared to demand that a Civilian Review Board for police is implemented. Following the conviction of Derek Chauvin, the police officer who so heinously murdered George Floyd, we must accept that nothing will change amongst law enforcement unless we, as white people, demand it. Implementing Civilian Review Boards nationwide would be a huge stride toward real and necessary equity. The role of the board would be to investigate and review possible misconduct from a police department, and then discipline those involved as they see fit. It is time that we police the police, in an effort to push our agenda forward.
As a 17-year-old who wants to pursue a career in journalism, I hope to never find myself in a position where I do not know what to write about because there are too many tragedies occurring. The time has come to unite and fight and I want you on my team as I champion for change.
~Sassy Girl
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