I woke up this morning crying for people I do not know
And I didn’t have to relate them to my Uncle or Aunt or Mother or Brother.
I woke up this morning and I missed their luminous smile.
I missed the way their lungs filled with oxygen and released carbon dioxide.
I missed the way heat radiated off their body.
the way the blood pumped through their veins.
the way their pupils dilated at the sight of a loved one.
I missed the way their voice chimed in the open air.
the way their eyes moved around the world. The way they were able to see things.
I missed the way their veins popped from their hands from clutching their father so tightly.
The way they perked at the sound of hearing their mother call their name.
I miss their presence.
I miss the energy they placed in this world.
Irreplacable.
Now all I see is blackness where their Soul should be.
A shadow. A stain.
No color. No breath. No life—please!—watch your step Miss… This is where they died.
by Elizabeth Bangura
We at Speaking in Hues would like to take a moment to say that we acknowledge the brutal deaths of the individuals murdered by white supremacists and the white supremacist systems that uphold and are instilled in the foundation of the United States of America. Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, Sean Reed, Tony McDade, George Floyd: we miss you, we mourn you, and we are angry for you.
To those activists who are currently on the front lines so bravely fighting to right the wrongs of injustice in Minneapolis, Minnesota: we see you. We support you. We appreciate you. We’re sorry and angry that the progessive effort to destroy and dismantle systems—systems that never meant to protect black and brown people— means risking your livelihood, your health, and your state of mind. We acknowledge and support this fight to rebel against the white supremacist systems and terrorists that perpetuate murder, inequity, and injustice.
If you find yourself looking for ways to support this current movement, please refer to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, an organization that directly supports the people who are currently on the ground. You can find them by the link below as well as other resources and funds you may donate to if you can.
Give
- Minnesota Freedom Fund
- Black Visions Collective
- Reclaim the Block
- Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
- MPD150
- National Bail Fund Network
Read: "Beyond the Hashtag: How to Take Anti-Racist Action in Your Life" - Teen Vogue op-ed by Zyahna Bryant
