Dear Cyborg, you and I are on the same wavelength. We’ve been for a while now, and your question to me confirms it because I turned this question inward just yesterday.

I found I was going to highlight so much of what you said, and decided rather than do that let me tell you what I feel from my heart.

I know medium is a public forum but I’m going to pretend we were sitting just the two of us on this nice Sunday morning.

Also, I am by no means the judge on the best way to go forward with this. In fact, I am a black woman who has had certain privileges, and who has never been to the US. Nevertheless one who saw the aftereffects of pain in her dad caused by racism in his childhood. And from a country (and continent) that had been ravaged by colonialism and still dealing with aftereffects so deeply entrenched (another story for another day.)

Anyway, this is just to say that POC pain resonates so deeply within all us POC (and our allies.)

Cyborg, let me start by saying that from the time I joined Medium and found you beautiful lot (You, Tre, Jules, Ezinne, Heather, S Lynn Knight, Jack, Sean, Lon, David, Jon and sooo many others), I knew I had found allies and comrades. People who spoke up, and in fact opened my eyes to many other things going on in different parts of the world. Who challenged me to speak up too.

I’ve been thinking about what it means to ‘stand up’, and my opinion is that if we can all give our widow’s mite (linked because I didn’t want to assume that you know or don’t know this biblical parable) in time, love, actions and resources, then we should have enough to cover all bases. One issue of course is when people blatantly refuse to chip anything in.

When I wrote this poem I was particularly angry at some of my white African friends whom I have never seen even once, utter anything about POC issues…they are always quick to chime in when it’s European life/issues and/or animal rights/life. That angers me. Very much. Because after all, if ‘all lives matter’ really, why do they leave POC life out?

And I was so unsure whether I should share this poem, but I hit publish anyway.

A facebook friend in the states is trying to organize a new watchdog website where people can sign up for various roles. She gave an interview recently on how to hold police accountable.

Solange Knowles has literally put her money where her mouth is and shifted her funds to a black-owned bank. She states she knows this is a personal decision though. Her older sister did say ‘the best revenge is your paper,’ which I agree with.

In my opinion they are giving their widow’s mite.

Not all of us can physically march, and some of us are dealing with mental health issues (mine have been raging over the past couple of weeks but I am signing myself up for CBT I promise!) that prevent us from being at our optimum currently.

To me though, I feel you are giving your heart and soul- as many others here.

I feel like I need to do more, and am thinking (and will act on it!) about what to do. While I live in the UK, there are certain things I can do, perhaps seeds I can sow into the future. I’m not yet financially stable and don’t want to throw my ideas around till they are fully formed, but it will soon be time for me to put my money where my mouth is.

Till then, just like you my lovely ally, I will call out the bullshit, and will be ready to do everything I can to ensure that POC lives are treated equally ❤

And I will also categorically state that killing cops is wrong. Period.

I hope something out of my long rambling makes sense.