Heart broken

If someone says “I can’t breathe” at the barest minimum you check what is going on. But time after time, the barest level of respect for human life is ignored and people keep unnecessarily losing their lives at the hands of the police. 

The Black community has been telling the rest of America about this for years and yet as a country we can’t seem to collectively recognize white supremacy for what it is.

As I watch the protests and see encounter after encounter where the police are ignoring obvious chances for de-escalation and instead choosing more brutality, I’m angry and my heart is breaking. 

I want to “Do Something” and yet I know the real harm that is caused by people “jumping in front of the cause of the day” to the detriment of those who are already deeply involved in the work. 

At this moment, there is nothing I can say about this issue that is more informed than those who are already living through it and working on it. What I can do is use my tiny soapbox to boost their signals and send financial support to those who are engaged in direct action. 

Our family personally made a contribution to Reclaim the Block last week and we have been long time supporters of the ACLU. Still this week has made it clear to me as the owner of a business dedicated to making the world a more sustainable and fair place, more is required. 

I’m starting with a deep reading of the Campaign Zero website to learn more about the specific policies that could end police violence. After this week it’s not enough to say racial injustice is wrong. It’s time to understand the specific changes that need to be made.

If you are angry and heartbroken too, I hope at minimum you will move past scrolling social media memes and pick a topic to educate yourself on more deeply. 

I’ll be updating our Instagram bio links with organizations to support and reading links. If you have others, please message me.