Black Lives Matter. And I Have Much To Learn.

I have been struck by how the black community has been unfairly and inhumanely treated for far too long. As an Asian woman living in the United States, I thought I would understand the plight of all minorities. But I am sorely mistaken. I have been processing this realization that hit me like a brick, and it is still taking me a while to process everything. Despite all the news coverage, it dawned upon me that I don't have any realistic inkling of what it is like to go about your daily life as a black person in this nation. 

Recently one of my friend's son posted that he had "the talk" that all black parents ultimately have with their children about what to do when they are pulled over by the cops. I am floored that there is even such a conversation that black parents are having with their kids today. My naiveté took me completely by surprise. 

For a while, I couldn't wrap my head around why it is not appropriate to respond to "Black Lives Matter" with "All Lives Matter". I had to rely on explanations on social media to help me understand. This started me on a journey of learning. Lots of it. And I have only begun to scratch the surface.

For those of you who, like me, sincerely desire change in this world we live in, and want fair treatment for all human beings, the beginning starts with recognizing we have a gap in knowledge. We need to do the hard work of learning. That is how we turn intention into impact.

While there has been a lot of chatter out there about the support for Black Lives Matter, I did not feel at first that making posts about it did anything of substance. It just seemed to add to the noise. I did not see how posting a black box on social media helps anyone in any way. I thought long and hard about what could be done, and even whether saying anything makes a difference. 

After some research, I realized that saying something means the world to the black community. It validates the point they have been trying to make for the longest time. If only people would listen. And listening alone doesn't sufficiently help. There is no upside for the black community by any of us keeping silent. There is lot of downside that hurts the black community by keeping silent. Intention needs to be articulated with an action. That action starts by learning and speaking up. Doing something tangible beyond that is the continuation of that journey. 

There is a ton of good information out there to educate ourselves on the issue of racism and white supremacy. We simply have to care enough to take the time to pore over the information. The first change is within ourselves. We need to educate ourselves by filling the gap in knowledge. It is uncomfortable to even mention the phrase "white supremacy". I didn't quite see it that way, but I am learning more about the lenses we use to see the world around us. All change starts with discomfort. This includes acknowledging that we simply don't know what we don't know.

We also have to make a decision to have the courage to speak up when we witness racism and social injustice, and call it out. The changes we make in ourselves and our daily lives will be seen by others. In time they too will make a change when the changes we make collectively becomes self-evident that that's how life should be. Because black lives matter too.