Black People Are Fighting For Their Lives, NOW Is The Time To TALK about Reparations

2020 has been a crazy year, and as black people, we are having a “Come to Jesus” moment about how much we are fighting for our lives. That fact truly hit home for me this week more than ever. I mean, as a black person in America, we are intrinsically aware of our position in this world. Although others seem to be unaware of the impact of this world on the black population, as black people, we know what this is.

As a black woman, there is not one day that I am NOT vividly aware of gender and race issues regarding my mere existence. That’s is why I ignore folks that do not face the intertwined complexities of existing with blackness and gender. The people that say, “Yeah, it’s the same as being a woman” will forever be side-eyed and ignored.

We are at a crucial time in this world as black folks. We are battling a virus that is impacting us more than others because we are the service workers, we are on the front lines, and we usually have customer-facing positions. So when others without these kinds of jobs can work from home, some of us can not.

In addition to dealing with a pandemic and having to continue working, black folks have had to deal with an escalation of police brutality. The continued blows to our community are exhausting. Black people are sick and tired, and we are tired of being sick and tired. Throw in the exhaustion of folks that aren’t black, asking us to explain why we are sick and tired as if they have not been living on the same planet with us for four hundred years, is beyond exhausting. BLACK PEOPLE just do not have the bandwidth to deal with these type of questions, especially NOW.

We are happy that the world is starting to notice how exhausted we are, and they are acknowledging there needs to be some remedies. As black people, we also realize that donations toward big companies will mostly be beneficial to those establishments. Financial remedies need to be in the form of money to individuals. Organizations are not people, and people are suffering, not organizations. So, although donations to BLACK companies is a great gesture, it falls short of addressing the bigger issue.

The bigger issue is black people are hurting due to four hundred years of oppression. Yes, there are some black people, like Oprah, Michael Jordan, and others that are very successful. However, the fact remains that most of us aren’t Oprah or Michael Jordan anymore than the average mainstream American is Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos.

All of the large companies, especially those that benefit financially from black consumers, need to start considering starting a Reparations Fund. Yes, I said the R-Word because it’s time for America to have this conversation, and start to put its money where its mouth is to start the healing process for Black America.

I would love to know your thoughts on coping in our new normal. Reach out, let’s chat on FB, IG, and Twitter. Until then, Be STRONG, Be SAFE, practice social distancing, WEAR A MASK, and/or STAY HOME!

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