DO WE MATTER ?

DO WE MATTER? HAVE WE EVER MATTERED? 

I am going through an emotional rollercoaster. Anger, fear, sadness, exhaustion arise, evoke  and consume my entire being. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It hurts, I want to do something about it, I do not know where to start or who to start with -- my mind wanders 60 miles per minute. As I type these words, flashback of Philando Castile pop up in my head; his merciless death, the effect on his girlfriend and her daughter who watched his death. How does his family and loved ones feel. A man simply following instructions from an officer, hands on wheels, announcing that he does indeed have a license to carry and his girlfriend's daughter being her console. Alton Sterling, who with the permission of the store owner was selling CD's to provide for his family was also taken in a snap of a second, these men were taken away from the world and became another hashtag within less than 48 hours. This is the time for empathy. We all have to imagine ourselves and/or loved ones to be in those predicaments. It hurts so bad. You get tired of these protests because you feel that nothing is and will change. Neither should we result to violence and become what they deem us to be.

To be reticent, "not have an opinion" is to be on the side of the oppressor. To state that "All Lives Matter" is a slap to the face of those whom have lost their lives, for those that are diligently and persistently fighting. If all lives mattered, the Black Lives Matter movement would not be in existence, it's not an exclusion of all other races and ethnicities, rather an advancement of change and justice. This movement was established because black and brown people are devalued, deemed subordinate, insignificant and subhuman. I am tired of new hashtags popping up every 24 hours, I am tired of ignorance and those that state that if we love and respect ourselves, they will love us or that we should be "more organized" and etc. No, No, NO! The prejudice against us has NOTHING to do with us, the systematic oppression and injustices that has been opposed onto us has nothing to do with us. We do love ourselves, we are organized, so please save those rhetorics for the dogs.

                               ---------------------------UPDATE---------------------------

I attended a think-tank curated by Terron two weekends ago and it was amazing to be in the midst of Black and Brown people from different walks of life. Beautiful, intellectual, talented, full of life and eager to learn. We did not unite to get angry and dwell in such emotions, rather we came together to discuss what we as a united front can do to make a difference. How do we approach such change? What exactly is the change and when we do approach said change, how effect is it going to be?
At this moment my anger has passed me, my emotions are now under control, it's time think and act logically. What seems to be the leading factor in Black and Brown societies is our money. We are the biggest consumers in the United States, what does that mean? We spend money when we have it and when we don't and we spend money in mostly non Black business. We support these big organizations and monopolies more than we support our own. Should we move our money to Black owned and funded banks, support Black owned businesses. Answer: YES! If we can spend our money at Zara, Saks and H&M, why can't we support those "IG boutiques" or that tee line that your friend has worked meticulously on or that man or woman. Rather we consistently and constantly ask for discounts or "for the free!" I am not here to bash anyone, because I fall under that as well. If anything, let this be a wake up call for ourselves individually and as a whole collectively. What I want to iterate is we need to support each other and build us not only emotionally, physically but economically as well and change will come eventually. I appreciate people that are in the fore front like Deray, Netaaa and others that fight effortlessly to ensure change, that alone is not an easy task, but they do it with persistence and diligence and I pray that God will increase their courage and straight.


This is the time to make a change and we need to be the change we want to see. We do matter! We have ALWAYS mattered and will continue to do so. I have provided links to B.O.B and Black owned banks below.

List of Black Owned Business:
https://www.supportblackowned.com/
http://www.idontdoclubs.com/category/black-owned-businesses/
https://webuyblack.com/
http://blackgirllonghair.com/2015/11/master-list-65-black-owned-businesses-to-shop-this-black-friday/


Black Owned Banks:
http://blackoutcoalition.org/black-u-s-banks/ 
https://www.facebook.com/notes/kevin-d-james/directory-of-black-owned-banks-credit-unions-in-the-usa/10152609313740907/
https://www.oneunited.com/about-us/
http://watchtheyard.com/life/black-owned-banks/?fb_comment_id=880460868733865_951587714954513#f1759f9ca3629c4



Thank you for reading. You matter.

Stay Creative
xo, Zaddy