This Is What We Really Mean When We Say ‘Black Lives Matter’

Imagine going to your doctor and later finding out he prescribed you the same medication for your specific condition as he prescribed every single patient who’s ever visited him. This would likely trigger a lot of confusion, questions, and emotions. It would leave many angry, demanding answers.

Surely in order to effectively cure an illness, a doctor must diagnose it and prescribe the precise medication for the symptoms of the condition. What would be the point of going to the doctor in the first place? This is certainly not an effective way of healing someone.

A total approach is not only ineffective, but it can be detrimental. It can delay the process to wellness. It can cause greater damage by not stopping the illness. Others can contract it. Such is the case when we advocate for All Lives Matter in lieu of Black Lives Matter.

On the flipside, a conscientious, target approach by all lives is critical to competently impact a matter. In this case, the decades of systemic racial injustice against Black lives—in particular, police brutality.

None of which intends to convey that Black lives are more significant than other human life. Or that all humans should not be equal. In fact, it’s quite the contrary.

All lives supporting Black Lives Matter means coming together to eradicate disparities among a single social issue. It means all lives coming together to extend a hand to those who have been legally stepped on, choked, and treated unequally. It means not discrediting, devaluing, or diminishing the sentiments and efforts of a group of citizens whose rights have been stolen and muted for too long. It means coming together to celebrate the birthday of one of your brothers, knowing you have your own birthday too. It means being a breath of fresh air to others who can’t breathe.

Change begins to happen when we start having truthful conversations that address the big elephant in the room. Radical change begins to happen when we can pause our own agenda and biases and unite in action for a single cause.

We live in an era where we have an ethical responsibility to dismantle the woven racism of society’s fabric. It’s time to evolve by challenging every aspect of your being that doesn’t serve our ever-changing, colorful world.

It’s no longer acceptable to stay silent and comfortable. It’s no longer acceptable to not take action to release the oppressed and pave a way for our lack brothers and sisters. We must be open to learning, adapting, and adopting a new mindset.

Today, I stand with and for Black Lives Matter to make the world a humane place for all. My hope is that you realize that true power and harmony lies in aligning all voices for one cause.