The following is a guest post written by Daisha Holliman, an incredibly strong young lady. She is in high school, and wise beyond the years she has lived. Daisha also happens to be a special person in my son’s life…she has been his girlfriend for more than three years. The two of them are also best friends, sharing some very difficult experiences and becoming strong adults through them.

Daisha shares with you a heartfelt, raw look into the world of a teenage biracial girl. It was intended for her journal, for the eyes of her loved ones only. I was allowed to read her words recently, through teary eyes and with a breaking heart. She agreed to allow me to share her words on my blog. I would have never been this brave when I was her age. She inspires me and reminds me to use my own voice, just as she is using hers. This beautiful soul will share with you her frustrations, her reality, her inquiry, and her hope.

This is what helps a nation move forward.

Speaking up. Speaking out. Taking a stand.

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I see a lot of people making the statements of, “White people get killed more than black”. Or, “We (meaning whites) have it hard too”. This absolutely infuriates me. Whites alone make up about 72 percent of the population in the US, and blacks alone make up about 14 percent of the population. This means there are about 5 times as many white people as there are black people. In 2019, 370 white people were killed by the police. The same year 235 black people were killed by the police. For the rate of police kills to be equal, there should have been about 1,200 killings of whites in 2019. This means if you are black, you are 3 times more likely to be killed by the police. If that doesn’t SCREAM racism and racial inequality, then I don’t know what does! 

Another topic that makes me upset is people saying it’s extremely disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem/pledge. The very last words of the pledge are,  “with liberty and justice for all”. Why would someone have to say those words and stand if they don’t feel it applies to them? Kneeling is not meant to disrespect the people who fight for our country. It is meant to bring awareness that there is not justice for all and not everyone is equal. Many members of my family are in the military. I will stand just because of them. But I will not sing the national anthem or say the pledge. And, for those who say we are “ungrateful” or “can leave if we don’t like it”, are missing the whole point. If you’re all about supporting the military then you should support the freedom of speech. Kneeling was a peaceful protest and yet it was still a problem. No matter how POC protest, it will always be a problem. The black lives matter movement isn’t showing that ONLY black lives matter. It’s showing that black lives matter, TOO. If your only response to the black lives matter movement is, “All lives matter ,you are a part of the problem.

All lives will not matter UNTIL black lives matter.

 I understand that not all cops are bad. Cops have a very hard job and put themselves at risk every single day. We should appreciate them…but, on some occasions it’s hard when every time a black person sees a cop they get scared. Some people view “blackness” as a weapon, even cops. Imagine having fear for your life even a little everytime you go somewhere.

 Living in a mostly white town, there are many experiences my family and I have faced on our own with racism. Imagine your dad having to wear his Air Force hoodies and shirts when he goes out in public, so less people look at him suspiciously. Imagine walking to your mom’s work office and being called a “little nigger”. Imagine being told “Hey look Daisha, it’s your favorite place, KFC”, or being told that you don’t “act black enough”, or being stared at every time you go somewhere with your boyfriend, just because we are different races, or, being looked at when slavery is talked about in history class because you are ONE OF THREE black kids in the class. Imagine being told you don’t belong with someone because they are a different race then you. Imagine walking around with your brother who has a durag on and tattoos and watch people pull their bags closer to them. Imagine having fear for every black man in your family. Imagine your brother’s friend (DANTE JONES) being shot by the police and still not have any justice held for him. Until you have gone through a FEW of these examples, you have no say whether blacks are “over reacting”. We shouldn’t have this much fear. I shouldn’t be afraid of being born half black. My dad and brothers shouldn’t be afraid of being born black. 

Being a bystander to racism and inequality is just as bad as being the one doing it. I do not agree with individuals burning down buildings and destroying property. But, as Martin Luther King J.r once said, “A riot is the voice of the unheard”. Many people say rioting won’t solve anything. In 1969 there was a riot, which is now known as the Stonewall Riot. This riot resulted in the widespread gay rights activism. In 1967, a riot which is now known as the 12th Street Riot, resulted in the increase of civil rights legislation. In 1773, we had the American revolution. This resulted in overthrowing an oppressive government. Someone saying that these riots aren’t going to help anything, clearly haven’t done their research. The media only puts out the bad images and videos of the protesting and riots going on. There is actual footage of police officers kneeling down with the protesters. Only looking at the bad images and only posting the bad videos/images isn’t going to make the issue better either.

 It’s hard to think that you have so many friends, and the one time you count on them to speak up, they let you down. Don’t be afraid to speak up. USE YOUR VOICE. I hope one day our world will change. Those who put protesters and looters in the same category have no idea what they are talking about. The protesters are there for a good reason, and trying to stand up for what they believe in. The looters are only there to steal. They do not belong in the same category. It seems to me that more people are worried about items being stolen and buildings being destroyed than hundreds of lives being taken away. I find it very ironic how people are trying to tell blacks and POC how to handle the situation. You can’t tell someone how to handle a situation when you yourself have not gone through racism or racial inequality.

 I hope one day I won’t have to tell my child that having black in them may make others view them differently. I just hope one day this world will be a better place to live in. 

And, if you still don’t believe the facts I stated, check out these links that show over HUNDREDS of black lives being taken, and a short part of their story. 

Sources: 

Mapping Police ViolenceWeb resultsPolice killed more than 100 unarmed black people in 2015

BuzzFeed NewsHere’s A Timeline Of Unarmed Black People Killed By Police Over Past Year

CBC.ca › ca14 high-profile police-related deaths of US blacks

MAY ALL OF THEM AND MANY MORE REST IN PEACE! 👊🏾❤️