It took awhile for me to realize how important that phrase is. Not as a movement, not as an argument but as a stand alone phrase.

Black Lives Matter

As much as any life matters, not more than, but just as much, equally as that of our White, Latinax, Chinese, Asian, Jewish human brothers and sisters, our lives matter.

But we, those of us who are Black, (Half Black too) were raised in a world that doesn’t fully believe that.

You can only beat a woman so many times before she finds a gun and shoots you in the dick, and you can only batter, rape, torture kill and murder Black people before they get angry enough to stand up and demand Justice.

No Justice No Peace

What happened to George Floyd was not Justice, it was murder, and you demand we remain calm? Naw the time for calm is over.

Over the last few days several White people have asked me what I want to do about this situation, what “I” as an individual want to do. I want to go to War. I want to gear up in my camo gear and go and march, but I can’t because there are no marches happening in my city, so instead I write and I create content, because that is what “I” can do, to add my voice to the conversation.

A lot of White people want to know what they can do, to support the Black people around the world fighting for Justice, so that they can have Peace.

This is a group of white people, protecting Black Protesters (not rioters) from the Police. This is how you Ally. This is how you show us that you think our lives matter, you protect us with your bodies, your minds and your souls, you be willing to put it all on the line for us, as we have done for you.

Support from the #Amish community in Minneapolis #AllLivesMatter #BlackLivesMatter #RIPGeorgeFloyd #Minneapolisprotests pic.twitter.com/qEkVkmOhGA

— WhatTheNed (@NedWhat) May 29, 2020

This is how you Ally.

You stand with us. If the Mennonites can do it, you can do it. You sing with us. You drum your drums with us. You support our desire for Justice and for Peace. You take the time to understand why it is we are willing to fight for Justice so that we can live in Peace.

racism is real. people of color are not safe.
cr: keisha_ringland on tiktok pic.twitter.com/5sG3qjPhmE

— brianna (@WHEELERSFORMAN) May 30, 2020

This is how you Ally. You teach your White children what is happening to our children. You share our stories with your kids so that they understand that Black Lives Matter, as much as their White lives.

“You Can’t Heal without taking the poison out of the wound before stitching it up” -Al Sharpton.

He’s absolutely right, and for the first time in my life I understand the need to Police the Police, unfortunately I had to learn that lesson by watching a man murdered on Television with the rest of the world.

In the middle of a fucking pandemic, the world is burning, at least the American side of the world, and I understand why, I respect the reasons that people are standing up and fighting and I stand with the Protesters that are standing on the front lines so that I can be here.

I will keep posting these links, I will keep sharing information, I will keep creating content, I will keep designing hoodies, I will keep lifting up Black Voices, I will continue to force you to hear what my Black friends, family, brothers and sisters are saying.

I will continue to do the best I can by my community, because that’s who I am…what will you do?

Sending all my love,

Devon J Hall