Today, there was a protest demonstration and march across the Golden Gate Bridge. I went there to show my support for justice. A lot of people were there and it was very peaceful. Many people held signs that said: Black Lives Matter.
One meaning of BLM is: When a black person is mistreated, hurt, or killed by a police officer or anyone else, we should pay attention and show the same respect for their life as we would for a white person or a person of any other race. We shouldn't act like it isn't important. In the past, many times when black people were killed by police, no one paid attention and often no one was punished. In 2013, a group of black community organizers started the Black Lives Matter movement after a young black teenager in Florida named Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by a man who was later acquitted (he didn't go to jail).
Read more about Black Lives Matter here:
As a white person in the US, sometimes I don't really understand the challenges that African American people face. I want to learn more about this. How is my experience as a white person different ? What kinds of privileges do I have that African American people or other groups of people (Asian, Latino, etc.) don't have ?
I know that the history of the US is complex. There is a lot of history to learn about. Many groups of people were oppressed and discriminated against in the US, especially African Americans, because we had a system of slavery. Even though slavery ended, it affected African Americans for generations afterwards and it's legacy and negative consequences are still felt today.
Here is a short video that tries to explain "systemic racism". That phrase means: That the laws or the government and systems in a society are not fair and equal for all people.
Watch the video below to see how it explains systemic racism in the US:
It shows how two children, one black and one white, can grow up in the same place but have very different experiences and opportunities in housing, education, employment, representation in government and wealth because of unfair differences due to systemic racism.
We can talk about this when we Zoom next week !
Have a great weekend !
Diane
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