“I Can’t Breathe”
- I can’t breathe.
LaQuisha moved from a neighborhood she has known all of her life because she could no longer afford the cost. The people who look like her, are all moving because they don’t make the income, nor do they have the investments and wealth to afford to live there anymore. Many of her family and neighborhood friends are stressed and sad, they are held down with the heavy boot of economic inequity on their chests, and they can’t freely breathe.
2. I can’t breathe.
Marley works three jobs, He calls them side hustles. He doesn’t have a business license nor a college degree, but he knows how to sell and make money. So he sells on street corners, at stop lights, and in front of stores. He sells water, CDs, and cigarettes, just trying to make a living for himself and his family. Over the years of working his “side hustles” he has been harassed and assaulted. One day, Marley was arrested for illegally selling product and loitering. At the jail, an officer pushed him and his back hit the wall… he gasped for air, trying to breathe.
3. I can’t breathe
Mark’s teacher treats him differently from the others because of his skin color. His teacher is biased. She thinks he is only good for basketball and being lazy about my school work. She yells at him, grades his work unfairly, and has low expectations for him. One day, Mark spoke passionately about the biases and racism he encounters in the classroom (from his teacher) and on the playground with his classmates. The teacher thought the student was angry and aggressive so she called the school resource officer. She told the school resource officer she felt afraid and threatened. The officer lifted Mark up by the neck and chastised him for making the teacher feel unsafe. Mark gagged from the force of the officer’s hand around his neck, struggling to breathe.
4. I can’t breathe
Jose is desperate to leave Guatemala because he is constantly targeted due to his sexual preference. He has been hospitalized because of an attack and is afraid to leave his home. Even family members have threatened his life. He will not survive the year unless he leaves Guatemala. He traveled with a group of people to try to seek refuge in the United States. He is currently living in a concentration camp. The cage he lives in is filled with people who are sick, tired, and hungry. They yearn for fresh air and sun to dance, heal, and breathe.
5. I can’t breathe
Mary lost her job to a younger worker. She worked hard on the assembly line, but due to the. disabilities she developed on the job, her production was low. Her boss fired her and she ultimately became homeless. Park benches, side walks, and under bridge ways are places she calls home. She does not have health insurance and is sick from the cold and wet weather. She hopes to survive the winter, but is walking with pneumonia. Her lungs are filled with phlegm and it is difficult for her to breathe.
6. I can’t breathe
John has been searching for work for over two years. He has been discriminated against because of his long natural dreadlocks, dark skin, big body, and his facial appearance. With over 100 rejections and no income, he has developed anxiety. He worries about caring for his family and is severely depressed. He contemplates suicide because he feels his life is worthless. He stuffs his face in his pillow and tries to smother himself to stop breathing.
7. I can’t breathe
Claudia scrolls the Internet searching for historical truths. She is frustrated reading about history that is white-washed and white-centered. She notices the one sided narrative and how it has contributed to prejudices, stereotypes, and white supremacy. She remembers her teachers educating her about Christopher Columbus, and the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but they never taught her about the middle passage, Black inventors, Indigenous People, and Black history (other than Martin Luther King, Jr. during Black History Month). As she continues to search for Black and Brown narratives she is overwhelmed with the lack of history and truth. Suffering from PTSD due to constant death, daily struggles, and injustices related to Black/Brown skin, Claudia has a panic attack. She painstakingly takes a breath.
8. I can’t breathe
Sadie sold marijuana and was arrested. She was sentenced to 20 years and is currently in prison working in the fields and making products for major private corporations. Marijuana is now legal and many White people (her former customers), invested in the education, training, and are now in the business of making and selling marijuana. Sadie is sad as she sees many people like her in prison, she understands the plight of poverty and notices that most of the people in prison have Black and Brown skin. She sees long term family separation while in prison. Unable to have hope in a just system, she beats her chest with her fists… angry at the world. Everyday in prison is a struggle for her to relax and peacefully breathe.
9. I can’t breathe
Andre entered his gated community and drove to his home. He decided to go for a jog, so he put on his sweatshirt hoodie and jogged in his neighborhood. A White woman with a “We are socialists” t’shirt noticed him running and called the police. The police arrived to his location and without questions, they immediately planted Andre’s head on the hard concrete. Blood dripping from his left temple and eye, he muttered the words, “I can’t breathe”. Andre died on the sidewalk in front of his home in the gated community he lived in for over 10 years.
10. I can’t breathe
Jenny attended a prominent university. She earned good grades and was very social. She attended a party with other students and decided to leave early because it was getting too rowdy for her. As she walked to her dorm room, three men attacked and raped her. She is now in a dumpster barely able to breathe.
11. I can’t breathe
Raul was falsely accused of raping Jenny. Even though his DNA did not match the crime evidence, it was imperative for law enforcement to ensure justice for Jenny. Raul was sentenced to 25 years for allegedly raping Jenny. He continues to plead his innocence, but no one listens to him. No one believes his cries of innocence. One day, a prison guard abused and choked Raul. Raul’s lifeless body now rests on the floor… an innocent dead man in prison, never able to again breathe.
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
I can’t breathe
