I shared this story on my social media last week in response to the current affairs in America. And I'm sharing this story again, in a bit more detail, because this is one of the moments when my life changed forever
It was February 2012
I was in the middle of my Undergrad Degree at Niagara University in Lewiston, New York for Social Work
Dr. Blair was a hardass, but I liked him and I learned so much from that Man that I value to this day
I learned about the world that I thought I already knew
It was February 27, 2012. We had a lecture with Dr. Blair and we didn’t miss Dr. Blair’s classes, ever
The day before, a Young Black male named Trayvon Martin was walking back to relatives home with a bag of skittles and was shot to death by a racist man
F**king Devastating
I specifically remember February 27, 2012. Not only because it was an extremely sad day, but also because Dr. Blair taught me something that day that changed my life forever
He told us a story about a friend he has who is a black man. He told us how his friend was teaching his children, young men, how to drive
What Dr. Blair said next changed me. You know the moments I’m talking about. When you learn something or you realize that you have been lied to your whole life
One of those pivotal moments
He explained to the class that his friend taught his sons a lot of important lessons about driving and how to be safe
Do you want to know the Number One lesson that he taught his sons??
When they get pulled over, no matter what they do, they NEVER TAKE THEIR HANDS OFF THE WHEEL. Because if they do, the Police automatically believe that because they are black males, they are reaching for a weapon and will use it
PARDON?!
The # 1 thing this man taught his sons was to keep their hands on the wheel to prevent them from being shot to death when being pulled over for a traffic stop
Dr. Blair changed my life that day
I was aware that we were living in a shitty world, I just didn't realize that it was in our own backyards and black and brown kids in Niagara Falls, NY are taught to protect themselves in case
I cried that day
& since that day, I’ve tried to understand life from a different perspective than the one that I was raised with because that perspective is quite narrow in many places
We can’t beat ourselves up about what we did not know, but, when we know better, it is our job to do better
Ask a black or brown person about their experiences with being pulled over by the Police and you will learn that this is common practice for these individuals and families, and I am sure there are many more lessons that I have never even considered.
That day changed my life and I swore to myself that I would do better, think better, and be better. My family jokes about how I am "the most politically correct person they know", however, this last 2 weeks I've taken a look at myself and my presence online and it doesn't reflect that same passion. As I build a holistic wellness business, my aim is to bring that same passion to my on-line presence as well, because that is what is important to me. I hope my accounts reflect how I truly feel inside, which is equality and justice for all bodies, not just white bodies