Why Black Lives Matter (Now and Always Have)

B.R.O.K.E.N. is the name of this artwork that I created in 2015. I hesitated to use this image as it was originally created about a broken heart not a broken system. It also looks violent but it is really meant to express beauty in darkness; to express, once cracked open we can heal. 

Here's the truth about our country - It was supposed to be built on the premise that as a human and a citizen of this country you have the right to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As it turns out, it has not been that for all. It's been fragmented and broken. You don't have to go too far back to be touched by segregation or slavery in this country.  I'm horrified by this and always have been. 

In order for slavery to work, in order for us to buy, sell, beat, and trade people like animals, Americans had to completely dehumanize slaves. This makes my heart irate. 

And whether we directly participated in that or were simply a member of a culture that at one point in time normalized that behavior, it has shaped us as a society. The Black Lives Matter movement is vital in shaping the future of this country. We must shine a light on injustice in the hopes of creating equality for all. Of course all lives matter, but not all lives need to be pulled back into moral inclusion. Not all people have been subjected to the psychological trauma of being demonized and made less than human. 

Black lives have always mattered. Black businesses matter. Diversity is important. The civil unrest in this country is not new. It has always been there. 

I know it is extremely complex. 

We can not change our history. We can shape our future.

So, please, tell me how we transform?

My hope is that with each new generation, we transform for the good of all. That we create opportunities for all. That we do not suppress people because of skin color, gender or sexual preferences. 

Maybe we can start with education and understanding. I'm continuing to educate myself about these topics. Please do the same. None of us are born judgmental or prejudice, it is taught to us. Start teaching love, empathy, inclusion and humility in our homes and in our schools. Maybe the history books can be edited to start telling the whole story of how capitalism was built in this country. Continue talking about this with your family and friends, but have empathy for one another.  We are all the same and we all want the same things. Skin color doesn't dictate that. Being human does. We all want equality, liberty, happiness, opportunity, safety for our families, success, acceptance, and love because we are human beings having human experiences. 

Accountability is absolutely necessary. 

I think we (white people) really need to listen right now.  

And, Vote. Vote locally. Vote nationally. 

Together we can change. United we will stand and Divided we will fall.  

With Love,
Judith