I really need to take some time to examine my feelings about that #NotYourMule. I was deeply saddened when I saw how the #OscarsSoWhite conversation was turning on twitter. #NotYourMule left me even more discouraged. I guess I was surprised by 1.) the strong reaction from black folks on twitter of feeling demanded upon by other POC and 2.) that so many African-Americans feel unsupported by NBPOC. Maybe it’s because I know so many Latnixs, Asians, Muslims, Arabs, South Asians, and more (even whites) that stand up against not just to racism (systematic and otherwise) but also to anti-Blackness. My emotions wane from feeling defensive (as a NBPOC), to feelings of despair thinking about a potential irreparable fracturing between communities of color, to wondering whether I should start to focus more on bringing awareness to issues directly affecting my community and less on issues affecting others. In my little moments of standing up in solidarity against the establishment I was always proud to loudly identify marginalized people as my “Black / Muslim / Gay / Latino / Feminist / (etc.) brothers and sisters” maybe that needs to stop. While I personally can’t identify an incident where a NBPOC asked someone to be a “mule” for their cause, the strong reaction makes me question everything. I really do need to take time to examine my feelings about this, because it might be one of those moments that once I reconcile what is most righteous to me, it will likely become an ethos.