For multiple days now I have been praying, drawing, reading and repeat. I have been in tears crying out to God to show me what I need to do. I am so thankful for my art and being able to speak through my drawings. But it is not enough. I am so thankful that I can come to my Lord and plead for help. But it is not enough. I am so thankful for the internet that I have been able to read article after article to help educate myself. But it is not enough. I am part of the white privilege majority and with that comes responsibilities. I follow a God who is the Prince of Peace and with that comes responsibilities. There is so much that I want to say, that I NEED to say. But to be honest I am having a hard time putting my words together. There is so much sadness and sorrow. There is so much anger and pain. So for now I’ll start with this.
First of all I want to speak to my black brothers and sisters and say I am sorry. I am deeply sorry for the loss and pain you feel. I myself feel a deep sense of loss and pain, so I can only imagine the pain and anger and sadness and fear that you must be feeling. I wish I could wipe it away, but I can’t. And that brings me to my next apology. I am so sorry that our streets being stained with black blood has been your story since the beginning of our nation’s history. I am sorry for how slow it is taking us all to wake up, to speak up and actively seek change. I am sorry that we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. I am sorry for my ignorant silence for too long. I am sorry that I didn’t speak up sooner. I am sorry for the deaths, the wrongful accusations, the racist thoughts, words and actions that you receive on a daily basis. I am sorry for the fear that you face on a regular basis. I am sorry for the lack of resources you receive from our government. I’m sorry for the forced poverty you have been handed. I’m sorry for the injustice. I am so sorry for all of this and more.
Now to my white privilege community I am speaking directly to you.
It is not ok to sit silently. It is not enough to simply pray. It is not enough to repost photos a few times for just one week. Unfortunately George’s story will eventually fade away. But deaths like his will continue to happen every day. Unless you and I do something about it. Black people are equal to us and therefore should be treated as so. They should not be wrongfully accused, they should not be dying by racist police or civilians, they should not have to leave their house in fear, they should not have less access to financial aid and health care, they should not receive less education. They should not get second glances when they walk into shops. They should not be treated as less than. They should not have their right to breathe taken away from them.
My friend Sara said something on her Insta stories that I want to share with you: Imagine waking up every morning and seeing on the news another person that looked like you being killed for the color of their skin. How would that make you feel? So if you are wondering what you should be doing right now and always until we see real change, the answer is simple. Speak up and continue to speak up. Yes it will be uncomfortable, you may even lose friends. But that discomfort is nothing compared to what our black brothers and sisters feel everyday. I’m not saying stop praying. Yes, please continue to pray. But when Jesus saw the temple being made as a market, He didn’t just bow his head in prayer he flipped over the tables and made a whip. He showed his anger and demanded change immediately. You might even say his anger was violent.
So please continue to pray, but also speak up. Speak up on your social platforms. Speak up in person when you see or hear injustice. Speak up in your workplaces, social circles and especially in your churches. And stand up and show up. Show up to protests, vigils, stand-ins, council meetings. Show up to the small businesses that are run by black people and POC and show your support. If you are able to, make donations to the organizations that are on the ground doing the hard work. Educate yourself. Listen to the black community, read articles and books and stories that highlight the black story. Learn how to change and how to make change. And lastly please vote! When it comes time to vote for our leaders please show up and vote from your heart. It doesn’t matter how financially better off we become, if we keep seeing dead bodies in the news. I’d rather be a poor country that loves all, than a rich country with hatred written in blood on the statue of liberty. I do not want leaders that are racists, I do not want leaders that threaten the lives of the marginalized. I do not want leaders that lead from selfishness and racism. I want leaders that love their neighbor as themselves.
Thank you for taking time to read this. Below you’ll find a list of link to different resources, articles and prayers to help all of during this time. Please click on these links and give financial donations, or learn something new or make change in a new way. And lastly, if you are part of the black community I’d love to hear from you and learn from you. Please, if there is something I said that doesn’t sit right with you, please let me know. I am learning and wanting to continue to learn. Also if there are other resources you would suggest leave in the comments down below.
- 75 things white people can do for racial justice.
- A prayer for a violent nation
- Black rage in an anti black world is a spiritual virtue
- How to truly support the black community
- 5 ways white allies can honor black history month all year long
- 28 organizations that empower the black community
- 5 ways yo support our black communities
- 24 books for white people to read beyond Black History Month
- 31 Glorious Shows and Movies To Watch This Black History Month
Black Lives Matter
kelseythecreative.com 
This here is what I was saying in my text….your heart is beautiful
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