By Kenya Fickens
Black Lives Matter — Holding Sign Wearing Mask — Justice For Regis — Not Another Black Life rally and March — May 30, 2020 By Jason Hargrove
When the large crowd of protestors and activists gathered outside of the Hennepin County Courthouse to learn the outcome of Derek Chauvin’s trial, the most important matter was the verdict. After the jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges — second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of George Floyd, the importance shifted to the American people’s response to this monumental outcome. In this event and others like it, reactions, responses and emotions are valuable, as we should always be asking ourselves and each other: What have we learned from this? How can we learn from this? What are the next steps?
This moment garnered reporter coverage from every news station in the country, as cameras captured the audience’s natural responses that would answer these questions. A diligent black male reporter on MSNBC interviewed protestors that represented the physical and mental diversity within this movement. His final interview resulted in an honest testimony from a middle-aged white man wearing a Black Lives Matter mask. The man shared that he was there in support of black and brown people after realizing George Floyd’s murder was the first time he learned about and understood his white privilege. A study done by NPR shows that 61% of white Americans claim to not have personally taken any actions to better understand racial issues in America since the death of George Floyd. When the reporter asked how he was going to continue to show his support for the cause, the man’s. vulnerable, genuine response defined white privilege: “ I don’t know. I just Googled that today — how can a white person help Black Lives Matter?
#BlackLivesMatter sit in by Jason Hargrove
The answers white Americans seeking to be allies are looking for are not simple, but they’re clear. They will need to make themselves accessible by being present and active in spaces that people who identify with Black Lives Matter occupy. They need to listen, ask questions and engage in discourse with black people who are willing to educate them. They need to allow black people to share their experiences free of defensive rebuttals and devil’s advocates. White allies have to comprehend what’s being conveyed so they can amplify black voices. Then, they can communicate these issues in spaces where black people are unsafe, unwelcome or don’t have the opportunities to be heard. Acknowledgment and understanding is a non-negotiable step in this process.
White people can learn allyship from their counterparts who’ve used their bodies as barriers between black protestors and police during last year’s Black Lives Matter protest. Physical intervention isn’t required but, it’s a bold and effective indication of unity. Studies show that officers are less likely to use deadly force or kill a white person. When white people encounter police brutality against minorities, they can make their presence known, vocalize their condemnation and hold officers accountable in that moment. A white person’s verbal and physical objection to illegal police behaviors can save a black or brown person’s life.
White, black and brown people should keep these truths in my mind as time advances further away from April 20, 2021 — the extraordinary day when a white police officer was convicted of a black man’s murder.
