The world right now is in need of change. We can all see it. We all know how the world functions. The United States is currently in a place where so many people live in fear every day. Some things just are not as important as others right now. Sports take a backseat to everything right now. Professional athletes are using their platform to inspire change. Something needs to be done. Changes need to happen. Reform needs to take place. Black lives matter.
I do not identify as Black. I don’t know all of the struggles these individuals go through every single day. People need to educate themselves and truly listen. It is not your job to understand right off the bat. It is not your job to know the feeling. Not everyone has to fear for their lives as they walk down the street. Some do. Learn about it. Listen to the stories of others. Be compassionate. Love one another.
This might not mean anything to anyone reading this, to others it might mean a lot. I am a young adult who identifies as Hispanic. I am very proud of this fact – it is a large part of who I am. It is not always the easiest task, I know, but the difficulties I go through are different than those who are fighting right now for a right to exist peacefully. Black people have to be viewed as perfect to be viewed as human. This needs to change. We are all human and everyone makes mistakes and that is the way life goes. Black individuals being killed for doing regular, everyday tasks should not be the way life goes. This is not the time to stray from the narrative.
Black. Lives. Matter. It is that plain and simple. I hope this is just a step in the right direction. This is not the first step in the sports world. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has been advocating for and challenging people to listen for months. They have been the strongest advocate in sports when it comes to social justice and trying to induce change. They just don’t have the same platform that the NBA, MLB, and NFL do. That’s a discussion for another day. Black Lives Matter. Remember it. Inspire change. Make a difference. We can all do it. It’s just a matter if we are willing.
