A Letter to a Black Man
King,
I feel for you. I feel for you because I understand how hard it is. I feel for you because I know that getting up each and every day can be a struggle. I know that you don’t know whether or not you will make it home at the end of the night. I feel for you because there is nothing else in this world that society despises as much as they do you. I feel for you because they don’t want to see you do better. They despise seeing you receive an education, they despise seeing you uplift your community and what they hate the most is the fact that they no longer can control you.
King, I pray for you. I pray for you each and every day. I pray because I want you to make it out alive. I don’t want your family to mourn over you. I don’t want your children to grow up fatherless. I want you to be able to tell your story to your children, to your grandchildren, and even your great grandchildren. King, you are loved and you are prayed for. No matter what they may say, no matter what they may tell you, I want you to know that you are worth it. I want you to know that your life matters. I want you to know that your mind matters. And no matter what they may do, I know that one day you will be okay. I know that one day, WE will finally be okay.
King, I want you to stay safe. I want you to remain calm in times of frustration. When you see the police, I want you to oblige. I want you to listen to every word they tell you because I want you to alive. I don’t want to lose you. I won’t let you be the 559th person killed by the police in 2016. I can’t handle seeing another brother gunned down so I need you to do everything in your power to stay alive. I want you to live. King, I want you to LIVE. To live to be everything you possibly can. I want you to live to see the day that you can walk to the street with a hoodie and an Arizona can and not be seen as a threat. I want you to live to see the day where when you tell someone you can’t breathe you are assisted because you are in need. I want you to live to see the day where children can be children and play, play however with whatever they want to in a park.
So please, King, remain safe. And know that change is going to come.
I love you, with all of my heart.
I’ll continue you praying for you. I’ll continue praying for a better tomorrow.
With love,
Your Backbone -- A Black Woman.