I can’t believe in 2020 I am here needing to write about this topic.
Once again, it is 2020. Why are we seeing black vs white? It should be one human, one color, one everything where everyone is equal and treated fairly. It breaks my heart that it feels like we continue to take steps backward when we should be moving forward. In regards to what is going on in the world, I am at loss of words and I have been since news broke of that horrific video. And I am the problem. I can’t put my thoughts into words to have a conversation about this. But here we are, I am challenging myself to do so because that is the right thing to do. I have done so much research over the past couple of weeks, watched different movies, shows, read endless articles. You name it, I did it. I want to educate myself so I can educate others, especially my friends. We cannot live in a world where race is a sensitive subject. And why was it even sensitive to begin with? We are ONE.
When I first moved to NYC in 2016 I immediately signed up for Big Brothers Big Sisters because I wanted to share the lessons that I was so grateful to have received due to my upbringing and give that to someone else. I was matched with a high schooler who has been though hell and back. Her upbringing was completely opposite from mine but that didn’t matter. We were the same…just two girls living in nyc. Once the news broke out of the killing of George Floyd I reached out to her to see how she was doing. I told her that I will never be able to understand the pain that she is in and I will never be able to understand what she goes through but I will ALWAYS stand with her and fight with her for what is right. Once again, we are the same. The pain she feels, I feel too and I will always be there for her fighting for what she is fighting for.
Which brings me back to my point of how do you have conversations with your friends about race? We all like to think that all our friends have the same morals and beliefs because we are best friends but that isn’t always the case. I do however believe everyone has a right to voice their opinions in a respectful matter. No yelling, no screaming, no making someone feel bad for what they believe in. Providing facts and data to all points is important and can help you defend your opinions. At the end of the day, we love our friends for who they are and what they believe in but everyone can be educated every now and then and given a reality check. Friends are people who are supposed to challenge you to be a better person. Do that right now. Think about those out there who are not able to choose to have a conversation about the topic, they have to live through it every day.
Have you had a conversation with your friends about race?
Thanks for reading Elle’s Edit. If you have any topics that you would like for me to discuss, feel free to email me at elizabeth.lane.dooley@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! xo
