In times like these, it seems essential for me to say something. Even if it’s not the perfect thing to say, saying nothing is unacceptable. I can’t let the moment go unaddressed.
I’m a white mom of two black children. And I’ve recently realized that I’ve been raising them under the umbrella of my own privilege. And that the world at large will not offer them the same luxuries when they are grown. How crazy is that? My children are destined to have a harder road than I am, despite the many opportunities they have had growing up.
I’m not here to address the looting, violence, and any other issues that detract from this most fundamental truth: race is and will be an ongoing issue in our country. If we don’t address this head on now, then when? And if it has taken me this long to show up and say it, how long will it take for the rest of the country?
Did you know that according to a 2014 study by the American Psychological Association, black boys between the ages of 10 and 17 were estimated to be 4.5 years older than they actually were? So, when my 10 year old is acting, well 10, he will look like a teenager to someone else, and be perceived as a even bigger threat.
But here I begin. To acknowledge my own privilege and begin to create a better world for my children to navigate. Small steps toward a long overdue change. I encourage you all to do the same. Everyone’s children deserve better than this.
