Another individual, Alton Sterling, has died at the hands of a police officer and his gun. My heart is heavy and sadness rushes over my soul as I see more footage of how this man lost his life. I will never understand how someone can feel so compelled to shoot someone else, without thinking twice. While those of "authority" move on with their lives, we continue to fear what our future holds and if there is anything in this world meant for us to hold on to.
As a black woman, I have have had my own experiences... clearly nothing as drastic... I'm still living. I've witnessed others be targeted... with no explanation... with having the internal struggle of whether to speak up for yourself or to simply go through the motions... not knowing what events will transpire next.
While others dream of moving here... of living the American Dream, we are simply dreaming of the day we can feel free to even live here. One day I hope people realize that taking a life doesn't stop the influence we have in this world. Everyday we are learning about our strength, our power, and our voices. Instead of feeling intimidated by our gifts, our connection with others, one should embrace what we have to offer.
By no means can you couple everyone in the same category... but for those who seek to harm, for those who chose to hate, and for those who refuse to share space, I pray you see differently. In this mixed up world we are living in, I pray for change. The force of a gun and the force of negativity will never be stronger than the strength of joining together and changing minds. Not sure when this will start, but it is up to us to uplift each other, to encourage each other, and to keep using our voices to stimulate change.