Normally I keep my opinion to myself, on a lot of subjects. But I can’t let my silence stand. Because as everyone has been quoting as of late on social media, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”

So I have to speak the best way I know how .

Enraged. Frustrated. Sickened. Hurt. Fed up. Sadness. Anger.

These emotions are only a few to describe how I’ve felt over the last few days. And I’m sure many others have felt this way too.

Words can not describe how the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and countless others have made me feel over the years. And what sucks even more is that we only know these names because they were in the news or footage documented their demise. While many others lost their lives in silence. While many others suffered injustices we know nothing about. But we want to stand for them all, we have to.

I am always in support of a peaceful protest, you can have your opinions on that. But looting is what I do not support. Especially not from the very businesses owned by black individuals that your protest is supposed to support and protect.

I understand that violence can be the only way to make certain people listen. Just as much as I understand the importance of peace. But what is being depicted when violence is involved? Who hurts? What is our goal? How can peace elevate that or how do we feel violence can?

Can we ask ourselves these questions on our journey for change for the black community?Can we take these questions into consideration before we act?

We are frustrated, angered, outraged. I get it. We want change. I get it. I want change. Get that.

I want change for my black father, my black brothers, my black uncles, my black male cousins, my black boyfriend, and the future of black men in my family. I want change for all black men and women. I want change for future generations.

I’m tired of videos of injustices against the black community. I want us to stop being viewed as a threat, so much so that death is viewed as the only means to remove our threat.

I love my blackness. It’s something I can not and refuse to be ashamed of.

And I want to make a difference.

I don’t know how we get it done. I wish I did. But I do want us to stop gaining information from the news or what others are telling us to be true. I want us to form our own opinions and thoughts. And not feel ashamed to share them. Everyone won’t always agree and I know that dialogue may seem redundant but it’s a starting point. And we need to start somewhere to make a change.

My heart is heavy.

This is my platform. I have shared a snippet of the fifty plus emotions and thoughts these scenarios have invoked.

But just know if nothing else, I believe and will always believe black lives matter.