The Time Will Come

On Sunday I finished at the GSB and boarded a plane from San Francisco to my home, Atlanta. Like so many American cities, both were boiling with unrest. Just before I left, a mentor and friend asked if I would share my thoughts on the events surrounding the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. I was conflicted as I did not feel comfortable using these murders. for any sort of personal gain. But I realized this was my ancestors’ wildest dream. A non-black figure of authority was asking to hear the voice of a black man. So let me tell you how I feel.

I feel angry. I feel appalled. I feel aggravated. As if we are unknowingly living out the plot of “The Most Dangerous Game,” black men are being hunted. Ahmaud Arbery was tracked down and murdered by three white men, one of whom filmed his death. This isn’t fiction.

I feel hurt. I feel horrified. I feel helpless. George Floyd was murdered by four members of an organization created to “protect and serve.” Hearing George Floyd gasp, “I can’t breathe,” just like Eric Garner as he was murdered by a policeman six years ago, is all the evidence we need to convict this country of neglect and reckless endangerment. This isn’t progress.

What will it take for the US to hear black civilians say we can’t breathe?
What will it take for the US to see black civilians as worthy of equality?
What will it take for the US to speak that one simple word that acknowledges the atrocities of the past and present?

Guilty.

The three white men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery are guilty.
The four officers who murdered George Floyd are guilty.
They are guilty and the US is guilty.

Guilty for abducting us from our home 400 years ago through the slave trade.
Guilty for throwing us in prisons for political gain through the “War on Drugs.”
Guilty for promising us change as a nation, but giving us nothing but stagnation.

Now that you know how I feel, let me tell you what I’ll do.

I will remain determined.
I will remain optimistic.
I will continue to fight.

I will use the privilege and access my Stanford GSB degree affords me to be a voice for the voiceless.

I will mentor and support the next generation of black leaders.

I will NOT hide my blackness for the comfort or convenience of those who do not understand the black experience.

Now more than ever, the tides of change are washing over the U.S. Although I disagree with the violence and vandalism that has emerged in response to the murders of unarmed black civilians, I don’t fault anyone for trying something new. Insanity is often defined as doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result. We’ve been turning the other cheek for generations, yet we’re still being oppressed. It’s time for something new.

Allies are asking me what they can do to help. My answer is simple.

Fight with us

The time for being passively not racist has passed.
The time for being actively anti-racist is now.

Listen to those who are saying “I can’t breathe.”

Listen to us when we tell you the criminal justice system is attacking our men.
Listen to us when we tell you the healthcare system is neglecting our women.
Listen to us when we tell you the education system is failing our children.

Rebuke those who perpetrate racist actions, even if it’s your parents.

Rebuke those who weaponize America’s irrational fear of us for personal gain.
Rebuke those who overlook us for employment opportunities and promotions.
Rebuke those who deny us loans and insurance on the basis of redlining.

Then take action.

Smile at us when we walk by.

Vote for candidates who will make change.

Fund medical research that will make hospitals safer for black women.

Enroll your children in schools that allow them to interact with students from other cultures, schools that celebrate Black History as American History rather than confining it to the shortest month.

Plan a dinner with your family to talk about racism.

Do not call the police on innocent people walking in parks and entering their own homes.

Question the lack of black executives Fortune 500 and your workplace.

Ask your homeowners association why there are no black families in your neighborhood.

Realize this is more than a battle against racism, this is a war against hate.

Do not forget the other warriors lost in this war.
Botham Jean — murdered eating ice cream at home.
Breanna Taylor — murdered in her home.
Dominique Clayton — murdered sleeping in her bed.
Eric Garner — murdered over a loose cigarette.
Freddie Gray — murdered in a police van.
Tamir Rice — murdered at the age of 12.
Philando Castile — murdered complying with the law.
…and so many more.

Let’s win this war against hate.
Fight with us as you would want someone to fight with you.
If you don’t, there won’t be anyone left to fight with you when the time comes.

And the time will come.