Recently, I created a policy that I have vowed to abide by to the best of my ability. I told myself that when I am out in public with someone else, I would never use my phone unless it was completely necessary. As you can imagine, I caught myself multiple times reaching for my phone to check for any notifications. I have no idea what I so desperately wanted to check for, but my hand began to reach out for my phone and I brought it back at the last moment. One day, I decided to keep my phone completely out of sight. I now keep it in my pocket or in my purse when I carry it.

I have kept this promise to myself thus far. So, I started reflecting on the influence of cell phones in our lives. Don’t get me wrong, cell phones have made communication a lot easier compared to before we had them. Now, we can access anything, anywhere, anytime. But this comes at a price if used carelessly.

The people who are paying dearly for addiction to cell phones are our youth and children more than adults. Some researchers, like Simon Leggett, say cell phones can “dominate children’s lives.” Being without cell phones can make young people feel lonely or as if they are missing out on something.

Some young people have developed an intense attachment to cell phones, so much so that they keep it beside their beds and without it, their discomfort level becomes unbearable. One statistic suggests that 57% of youth have their phone by their bedside while 44% claimed that they felt uncomfortable without it. Another 42% claimed to have kept their phones on their person at all times.

Try to imagine it. It is really scary for me to even think about this because I know when we give our youth and children phones, we rarely, if ever, warn them about the occasionally dark consequences of owning a cell phone. We neglect to tell them that it will break them mentally if not handled carefully.

From a personal account, I witnessed teenagers getting irritated for being called away from their phones and then storming away with gloomy faces. I wished it was just an Oscar-worthy performance, but it was real, misplaced anger. Imagine a parent having to deal with a baseless tantrum that their child thinks is valid. To be honest, I don’t think being deprived of cell phones is any better in this day and age, but by educating our youth about the grim side of cell phone usage while also emphasizing the good side could save a lot of children from feeling lonely and overly attached to their devices.

A study done by psychologists found that young people lack social skills, emotional intelligence and empathy the more they are attached to their devices. There is a culture of not invading the privacy of your children, but at what cost? I don’t mean to generalize, because there are many emotionally intelligent young people, but the forgotten ones behind their closed doors deserve to be in the company of their loved ones. You see homes with a nuclear family and every child behind their closed bedrooms left alone with their cell phones. This is horrible.

I have also seen adults in social places glued to their phones with their heads down. Some were even sitting at a table with another person, yet both were distracted by their phones. I take Metro Transit often and I find myself looking at my phone as time passes, along with the majority of people riding. We can’t bear to be alone with our thoughts. On the street, you see people maneuver almost instinctively as they navigate through the crowd. But sometimes, the distracted pedestrian would disrupt that flow. Maybe they might even walk into the traffic if not careful.

I think we have a huge problem if even as adults, we can’t go a day without looking through our phones, to the point that we even take it with us into bathrooms. We cannot talk about wanting to help youth reconnect with society while as adults, we are not any better. Our young people learn by example, so let us be that example for them.

I am offended, even though I hate using this word. I am a first-generation university student and I am thankful to my parents for making it possible for me to go to university and be able to graduate, as they did not have the opportunity and the means to do so themselves. If you are from a brown, Black or Asian background, the questions of “What is your degree?” and “What are you going to do with it?” are very familiar, if not completely ingrained in our minds, so much so that we cringe from merely hearing it. It used to be our parents, at least from my experience, who pressured us on what “should have been or should be” our undergraduate major. We had to choose from nursing, medical school, dentistry, engineering, computer science or some other “respectable” major. Now, our colleagues and acquaintances have decided to take on the role of judge, jury and prosecutor when it comes to what path we decide to pursue.

I am a student in the College of Liberal Arts, specifically an English major. Now, you can probably get why I am salty about those questions. I might come off as being unnecessarily defensive against baseless criticism, but I am merely attempting to school those with tunnel vision who seem to be on a quest to chase where the money is, even if they don’t like their jobs. There is nothing wrong with going after what brings you happiness, even if that is a lucrative career, but think again before trying to demean the hard work liberal arts major students put into our studies.

The common denominator I have seen from these commenters is that all they know about liberal arts majors is English, journalism and psychology. They don’t stop to think that the people they are putting down can go on to become authors and philosophers whose books are studied for decades, like the great philosopher John Locke. Journalists who keep us up to date on what is happening around the world with their articulate minds and pursuit of justice. Psychologists who study the human psyche to better understand how we function. People also don’t stop to think that economists and mathematicians are also liberal arts majors. Economists who help us understand how the financial world around us works and great mathematicians like Al-Khawarizmi, the father of Algebra, who left us with a legacy we use to this day.

Liberal arts majors make this world a better place when it comes to understanding humans and catering to our needs and the next generation’s needs. Liberal arts are a legacy we inherit from great minds through history, literature and poetry. History teaches us about our roots and identity. So think again before you demean a liberal arts degree. We are educators, historians, politicians, psychologists, writers, speakers, lawyers and more.

To be fair, even those of us in liberal arts sometimes can’t help but think, “What am I going to do after I graduate?” and to that I say: life is a marathon, not a sprint. Money brings food to the table and shelters us, but it certainly does not buy happiness. Go at your own pace, and learn about life and your values as you figure out what you can contribute to this world.

As students of the liberal arts, we are equipped with all the essential tools necessary to do anything we want and start any type of career. Heck, we can even start our own business and hire people who work for us instead of becoming employees of a company. We are taught how to think and articulate our thoughts eloquently without mincing our words. This is proof that our minds and our tongues are the weapons we need and sufficient to take on any task, big or small.

Life is not a race, so walk at your own pace. And you who speak useless words, worry about your own life, because we have it figured out.

You know how we usually write New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of every year, and we don’t get to do even half of those resolutions by the end of the year? I want us to make similar resolutions for this school year, except we are going to make ones that are tangible and measurable.

Let’s go into this semester with words of affirmation by saying things like: “This year is going to be great,” “I am going to be true to myself,” “I am going to learn” and “I will be a better person.” Basically, hold onto any positive affirmations you can think of. When I think about words of affirmation, I think of them as saying kind words to myself or to somebody else. I believe we can be our own source of strength and happiness. So, let’s write our own stories of happiness and success this semester. We don’t need validation from anyone nor are we going to self-sabotage by seeking it.

As I walk from class to class, I see light coming from each one of us as we navigate our way around campus. Call me strange, but I honestly love seeing people again. There is so much good and potential in all of us. We can be great together with our beautiful different colors, shapes, creeds and personalities. Our differences are beautiful and they shouldn’t be used to uplift one group of people over another, in what is known as ethnocentrism. Let our differences be what attracts us to each other.

This year, let’s make it our mission to talk to other students who we wouldn’t have otherwise met due to not having any apparent similarities. You will be surprised to learn how we are different yet similar and how much this can be an exercise in character development.

Now, onto pointers on how to stay focused this school year.

Be on top of your schedule: keep track of when assignments are due and when you have exams. Try to get ahead if possible. Procrastination can even lead to serious health complications like high blood pressure and heart conditions. If you find yourself avoiding tasks that need to be done, break them down into manageable chunks. Having set priorities helps with combating laziness.

Try to socialize at every chance you get. The one feeling I hungered for during our online learning last year was talking to people I don’t know.

Now, I can say “hi” to my peers in class or at Starbucks and catch up on our day. It is a blessing to talk to people. Time will go by before you know it. While consumed in all the projects, papers, labs and exams, you will find yourselves stressed. Find what works for you to de-stress and manage your anxiety. For me, taking a walk helps clear my head and calm my nerves; but more than a walk, having a plan of order in which to tackle what needs to be done in order of priority removes a burden off my shoulders.

Prioritize your tasks. Don’t wait for them to accumulate. Smile because life is beautiful. Protect yourself and others by wearing masks. Make a new friend or even multiple friends. Let’s take advantage of the fresh air we breathe every morning. We get to wake up and have our motor and cognitive abilities functioning to go about our days. Remember, it’s your story to write, so make it beautiful with your beautiful soul. Make your school year resolution be about yourself because that is within our control.

Now, go and have a very wonderful semester.

I am a people watcher and a food lover. I feel like people might mistake my watchful eyes for leering and the thought of it makes me laugh. I loved taking Metro Transit — at least before COVID-19 — just so that I could watch people in their natural habitats. Our differences are so appealing to me that it makes me want to learn more about people and their history. I want to learn about different cultures to increase my appreciation for human beings. So, I thought I could entice you into making this summer a cultural exploration experience through food and customs.

Comfort food is generally thought of as quick food that pleases the soul, like ice cream and snacks, but it can also be different types of food for different people. For me, trying new dishes from different cultures is my comfort food. We have so many different restaurants in the Twin Cities that offer a variety of dishes, each one is unique to a particular culture or goes back to a certain ethnicity.

There are many restaurants with Asian cuisines, my favorite being an all-you-can-eat buffet called Panda Garden Buffet in Roseville. For an East African taste, see Fasika, an Ethiopian restaurant in Midway. Marhaba Grill in North Minneapolis offers a Mediterranean buffet. Downtowner Woodfire Grill in downtown St. Paul for Persian cuisine. Broders’ Pasta Bar in South Minneapolis for some Italian taste. It is all about having that curious appetite and cravings for new experiences. We already dine at different restaurants with different cultural themes, but I want the intention for this exploration to be one of unity, love and appreciation for people from different cultures and backgrounds.

I believe food brings people together, and to truly understand one another is to learn about our different cultures through any means. It is easy to order or self serve, eat, pay the bills and walk out without much thought. After the murder of George Floyd and the pandemic, our city is still recovering from such trauma and hardships. But we now again have the opportunity to get to know our neighbors as equal citizens who deserve to enjoy every right and privilege other Americans enjoy. Holding a conversation with the waiters and waitresses about what they recommend, or even talking to people at the table across from us can bring us closer.

Other means of cultural exploration can be through cultural events such as the Irish Fair of Minnesota coming up in August, or the 8th Annual Jamaican Independence Day celebration. We are blessed to have the second largest state fair in the nation and sporting events like baseball games or even the Super Bowl, which are gathering spots for many that are interested. I have been to multiple Twins games and the only people I talked to were the group I went with. It is easy to stay reserved and within our comfort zone, but talking to people who look different from us is both intellectually growing and keeps us aware of our differences, and makes us appreciate each other.

Museums are another way to learn about other cultures through historical artifacts. I am trying to teach myself how to appreciate all the pieces displayed and presented. After all, one of the ways of transferring history from generation to generation is through symbols. This is the place to travel through the time periods to learn about what it was like in the past. I love history, and through it, an appreciation for our fellow humans can deepen.

We have a wonderful multicultural festival here in the Twin Cities that I have yet to attend called The Festival of Nations. In 2019, nearly 100 different ethnic groups came together to celebrate their cultural heritage. Some of the many cultures represented in the exhibits include Columbian, Thai, Turkish, Dutch culture and more. The festival was canceled last year and this year due to COVID-19, but it is where people from different backgrounds get to display their culture through food stands, dance performances, and cultural exhibits. Just imagine being in a circle clapping and laughing with people you have nothing in common with. That is respect and love for humanity.

It is the time of the year where our Muslim neighbors celebrate one of the two major festivals in Islam, Eid Al-Adha. It is on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar (the lunar calendar which coincides this year with the Gregorian calendar on Tuesday, July 20, 2021). Eid is celebrated by nearly two billion Muslims around the world. So when it nears, you will see Muslim families at shopping centers buying the best of clothes to wear to prayer on Eid morning, biscuits and sweets to share with neighbors and gifts to exchange with beloved ones. It is a joyful moment every Muslim looks forward to.

As children, we used to sleep with our Eid clothes by our pillows, even wearing them to bed at times, with henna painted on our hands and hair covered with garments so it didn’t get ruined. Eid for children is even more looked forward to, especially when all the aunties and uncles and parents will be giving the children Eid money all day long.

Muslims that are able to are required to slaughter an animal, usually a goat, cow, or camel, to then divide into three portions: one portion for you and your family, a portion for neighbors and friends, and another portion for the poor. No one is to be left hungry on that day.

On the days leading to Eid day, those of us who did not go to Hajj fast the voluntary first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah. The Hajj, or pilgrimage, is the fifth pillar of Islam obligatory for Muslims to perform by going to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in their lifetime, but it is only obligatory upon those who have the means to do so.

On the ninth day, the Muslims at home fast and those in Mecca stand the day of Arafah, known as Waqfat Arafah, which translates to standing on the mountain of Arafat in Mecca. This day is particularly special to Muslims. In it, the sins of the past year and the following year are forgiven if sought after with good deeds and supplications. It is the day the prophet, peace be upon him, delivered his last sermon: the farewell sermon. In it is when the last verse of the Quran, chapter 5:3, was revealed and in it is the day when the religion of Islam was perfected. It is the holiest day in the Islamic calendar.

We fast the morning of Eid until the prayer of Eid is performed in congregation, symbolizing unity with the remembrance of one of the last words of the prophet during his last sermon. He said, peace be upon him, “All humans are descended from Adam and Eve, there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an Arab, and no superiority of a white person over a black person or of a black person over a white person, except on the basis of personal piety and righteousness.” And on Eid day prayer, we see people from different backgrounds and colors side by side praying to the same God all around the world.

Then starts four days of celebration, exchanging gifts, visiting families and rewarding children by taking them to playgrounds and events hosted for that day for children and adults. This year, we have Eid fests around the Twin Cities for families and children to spend their day playing games, competing in tournaments, eating food and attending speeches.

If you would like to help us celebrate, we have a free event for sisters only. This will be Saturday, July 24, from 4 p.m. 10 p.m. on a charter cruise in Minneapolis that includes speeches and “good vibes.” All women, regardless of religion, are welcome to join the cruise event.

The Eid day and the following days are spent in remembrance of Allah through prayers and supplication, while enjoying the blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah. It would be amazing for Eid to be a national holiday here in the United States, to show oneness with American Muslim communities.

Eid Mubarak to all Muslims in our community and those around the world.
May you all have a blessed Eid.

We rarely, if ever, come across cases of police brutality in which the police are convicted, let alone sentenced. They have been and are more likely to be acquitted. What made the murder of George Floyd different from other murders by police is that it was filmed. We watched more than nine minutes of the horrifying last minutes of a man being viciously murdered by white police officer Derek Chauvin.

Civil unrest from across the nation and cries calling for police accountability were finally answered in the Hennepin County Courtroom, when the jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter earlier this year on April 20. Finally, on Friday, June 25, Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 aand a half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. This sentencing of a police officer in Minnesota for the muder of a Black man was the first of its kind.

We can finally breathe, but only raggedly. It was not an option for the justice department, the police department, and the court to ignore such a horrifying murder and agonizing death caused by one of their own. Watched by millions of people from across the globe, to turn a blind eye or play the “qualified immunity” card to try and acquit Chauvin would be a blatant show of injustice. Though 22 and a half years is not nearly enough, it is a start. A start of a change, one in which we don’t sit back contently and lower our guards.

To celebrate or not to celebrate the sentencing? There seem to be mixed emotions and responses from Minnesotans: happy that he was sentenced, but sad and shocked that he got so little time behind bars. Following the verdict, people were in disbelief, some saying that only 22 years could not be considered justice. But one thing that echoed in our community is that this is not over. It is likely that we will witness more innocent deaths, those whose names are both known and unknown, and there will be many more Chauvins. It is the beginning of a long battle for justice, so let us all rise up and fight injustice.

To all lawyers and aspiring lawyers, gear up with your choice of weaponized art, educate our children on their heritage not as victims, but as descendants of African Kings and Queens. We will be in the streets chanting, not only in protest because another innocent Black person was murdered, but also to celebrate our heritage and achievements. We won’t let the sacrifices of our ancestors go unmentioned and their legacies discontinued.

It is an unfortunate battle for the right to life and to live in a democratic nation, but we will rise up.

On June 6, our neighbors to the north witnessed a horrific terrorist attack on a Muslim family in London, Ontario, that ended the lives of four people and nearly killed three generations in one family. The only survivor was a 9-year-old boy. According to the London Police, there is evidence suggesting that the attack was premeditated, driven by Islamophobia, or a prejudice against Islam and Muslims. The family, including two parents, two children and a grandmother, were out on a walk when they were struck by a man driving a pickup truck while waiting at an intersection.

Their names were Salman Afzaal, Madiha Afzaal, Talat Afzaal and Yumna Afzaal.

What was their crime? They were guilty of being Muslims in the eyes of the terrorist that killed them. This jarring massacre sent a wave of shock to the Muslim community, one which left it questioning its safety and the safety of its children once again. It is not easy to fall off the radar following terror attacks on Muslims, when Muslims are easily recognizable in a crowd from the way they dress.

Muslim women in particular are like snow in winter: impossible to miss. They stand out wherever they are because of their religious attire — the hijab or the headscarf they wear, to be exact. The media successfully turned this symbol of religious devotion into a symbol of oppression and a threat to Western nations.

Being a Muslim woman of color myself, it is disappointing to see people obsessed with their “white savior complex” want to free me from myself and thinking that I need rescue. The problem with this savior mentality is that it correlates the hijab with a lack of agency over our bodies and that those who wear the hijab are oppressed, undermining what the hijab represents for a Muslim woman. It is similar to believing that the more conservatively one dresses, the less freedom one has. This association between nakedness and freedom is problematic. When I am cornered into taking off what makes me who I am, my First Amendment right is being violated and I am being disrespected as an American Muslim woman.

Hijab means different things to different women, but the common denominator is wearing the hijab out of love for God and following his commandments. It shows our religious devotion, but unfortunately is not seen as such. In contrast, nuns wearing the habit are seen as devotees but Muslim women wearing the hijab are seen as oppressed. American researcher Dalia Mogahed’s experience echoes that of many Muslim women. Mogahed was approached by a woman in a public bathroom and was told that she was now “in America” and that she didn’t need to wear “that thing” on her head. The act of assumption is what divides us. Having respectful conversations about our values and beliefs is what will bring us together as a community.

What saddens me is that, as an adult, I know how to respond to such matters. But when our younger siblings and children go to school wearing hijab, they come back home filled with questions they were asked. “Why are you wearing that? Do you have hair? Do you sleep with that? Do you shower with that? Can I touch it? Did your parents make you wear that?” And on and on. In some extreme cases that I was personally told, children’s hijabs were pulled off of them. They come home internalizing that horrible experience as if it is their fault they look different from their peers. We must teach our children that their differences are empowering and unique, not demeaning or dehumanizing.

If schools do their part in paying attention to diversity in their classrooms, we will have a community that loves each other and respects difference, not conformity. Kids will learn from one another and get curious about each other as they appreciate their differences through cultural explorations in classrooms.

We don’t need saving from anyone. We have the freedom to practice our religion while engaging in our civic duties like any other American citizen.

After the murder of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, our communities went out into the streets day and night calling for justice for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others. It gave me hope that people are finally realizing that if there is no justice, there is no peace. People going out to the streets to demand change in our criminal justice system was a seed of hope planted to ensure a better future.

But unfortunately, since then, the crime rate has surged. Just this year alone, there is an 89% increase in homicides from this time last year in Minneapolis. Violent crimes are up 14% and robberies are up 32%. These are staggering numbers. Gun violence has become a major part of this problem. There have been 187 shootings so far this year. Just thinking about the number of news headlines I have received on my phone regarding shootings creates a lump in my throat from shock and fear. We are killing our own people in our own backyards. North Minneapolis community leaders recently called for an end to gun violence, and I couldn’t agree more.

Reading news articles every day about shootings has got me feeling sick to my stomach, and all I can do is send my prayers and thoughts to the victims’ families. But when things escalated to shooting children, it became hard to bear this crisis, and I am left with no choice but to speak up. Just recently, between April 30 and May 17, we lost 6-year-old Aniya Allen and 9-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith to gun violence.

Ottoson-Smith was playing on a trampoline when she was shot by the suspect, who had been driving down the alley. She fought for her life for two weeks so that she could get up one day. She passed away on May 27. Aniya Allen was shot and killed by a stray bullet while eating a McDonald’s Happy Meal in her mom’s car. These are just a fraction of the fatal shootings this year.

Non-fatal shootings throughout the city, on the streets, at parties and even in our own neighborhoods have been the frightening norm for many of us, not knowing when someone we know is going to be hit by a stray bullet. Ladavionne Garrett Jr., a 10-year-old shot while in his parent’s car, is currently fighting for his life.Our city, nicknamed ‘Murderapolis’ at one point in 1995, leaves me questioning whether it is even safe to live here anymore.

If the pain from the loss of children who died from gun violence is not incentive enough to call on our leaders to stop scratching their heads and call for gun control, I don’t know what is. Evading questions about gun control by saying that it needs to be addressed and disagreeing on proposed plans will only delay the solution for this crisis. Meanwhile, people will keep dying, including our children.

I urge Mayor Frey, Gov. Walz and our elected officials at the state capitol to stop delaying solutions over disagreements and start devising plans to stop our city from bleeding; to save our children and our brothers and sisters from dying. It is your duty to ensure our safety from the moment you take office, and not stopping these crimes means that you have failed this city and its people. You have failed our children.

I always look forward to summer break as a student because it means not having to worry about balancing classes and work. I look forward to the sun, playing basketball in the driveway with my siblings and even walking around the neighborhood with my little nephews. But above all, summer means taking a mental and physical break from the days of hard work and busy life. It is a time to unwind, kick back and relax. A time to take in all the vitamin D before Minnesota’s long winter returns.

When I take time to enjoy the warm air and sunshine, the world appears to be very small. All my worries turn to dust because the only thing on my mind is how blessed I am to be having this experience. But reality kicks in as soon as I go back to my daily life. Many of us are job hunting, looking for internships, going to work, planning for graduation, planning for the future or even taking summer classes. Thinking about questions like “What now?” and “What next?” can be very exhausting, especially after more than a year of living in a pandemic.

It has come to my attention how little time we got for ourselves. We were in a year of struggle and hard work, academically speaking. Some of us did as well as we always do, while others just wanted to erase that one year off their record because of poor performance. Most of all, though, I do not think we had any time to just breathe. It was all “get up and get going” without a “sit back and relax” period. Even if we wanted to steal those moments from our busy routine, life got in the way. I realized that I am completely burned out. Now, all I want to do is sleep. I want to lay down with my eyes closed and not have to think about life. I want to drift into a sweet dream, fly through the air and look down on all my mundane life worries.

It is all wishful thinking, though, because life demands and we comply in order to live and survive. We have a never-ending to-do list that we dread crossing items off of. I know it all sounds gloomy if thought about that way but ultimately we can reprogram our thinking. Our perspective on our lives can make life heaven or hell, though that is not to say that we do not face obstacles such as job rejections, overdue payments, family issues or work problems.

But these things are just part of life, the good and the not so good. I did not want to call them problems because our programmed minds will want to take a negative stance on issues that arise, allowing them to dictate our daily life outcomes. I do not think there is anything wrong with facing issues in life, but it is a matter of knowing when to take a break and keep ourselves from burning out. It is a matter of pacing ourselves and having priorities. Burnout is real — you know it when you feel exhausted, empty and even have difficulty just dealing with life.

So despite adjusting to changes on mask mandates and getting back to a semi-normal life this summer, steal those moments from your busy days to unwind and relax, to breathe in and breathe out, and to maybe even let the sun warm your face.

I like to imagine having an invisible wall that runs across my waist. I use it to push down all my life’s issues so that they do not crawl up to my mind. It is like having a certain threshold that life’s issues can reach but cannot pass through. I think not taking in all that goes wrong is one way to reduce stress and live the life you want while dealing with surprises that might arise. Take a deep breath and pace yourself. Good will always surpass the bad.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s murder of George Floyd incited mass protests not only in Minneapolis but all around the world. Almost a year after his death, justice was served in his name. On April 20, 2021, the world waited for a verdict, hoping that justice would be served, finally. People held their breath up until the moment that the verdict of guilty on all three counts was read. Celebratory hugs, tears and relief were seen across the nation. It is about time and it is long overdue.

Now what? That is the lingering question. Are there going to be police reforms? What about changes in the criminal justice system? Will the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, be passed in the U.S. Senate and implemented? Convicting Chauvin was just the tip of the iceberg and the beginning of a much needed change. Police brutality in America is a disease rooted deeply in our system. But we can not heal a sick plant unless we change its soil. A major reform in our criminal justice system and the reeducation and adequate training of police officers will be necessary for a change.

How many more Black people have to be subjected to violence from the same entity that promises to provide them with protection and safety? How many more Black Lives Matter protests have to be held to call attention to the abuse of Black and brown people at the hands of law enforcement? Safety is promised to Americans as a constitutional right, yet the promise is broken when Black and brown people are murdered using excessive force. Excessive force by a law enforcement officer is any force used which exceeds what is necessary to gain compliance or control. George Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” echoed Eric Garner’s “I can’t breathe,” as a New York Police Department officer wrestled Garner to the ground in an illegal chokehold. There have been countless victims of police brutality, yet little to no police accountability or change has occurred. This has stripped normal childhoods away from Black children, replacing them with a constant fear of law enforcement.

It is heartbreaking that Black children have to grow up so early and have to learn the harsh reality of where they stand in society. As soon as they start to understand their surroundings, parents have to have “the talk” with them. Kenya Young, the executive producer of NPR’s Morning Edition, said “the talk” with her three boys went something like this: “Don’t wear your hood. Don’t put your hands in your pocket. If you get stopped, don’t run. Put your hands up. Don’t make a lot of moves.” Imagine having to tell your children this over and over again. It cultivates a lack of hope in the government that is of the people, by the people, for the people. Democracy becomes a mirage.

The tension, fear and hatred of police by minorities, Black people especially, will be everlasting as long as Black and brown people are subjected to racial discrimination, incarceration, implicit and explicit bias, and all other forms of discrimination. If our federal, state and local governments are truthful about police reform, then major criminal justice reform and police reeducation and bias training can serve to alleviate tension, reduce the number of police shootings and decrease racial profiling when police are involved in communities. Bias training will do no good if it is not practiced in the field, where police and civilians are allowed to sit together for uncomfortable conversations.

Change has to happen within our criminal justice system, and police have to be held accountable for taking lives. I cannot help but think that police are trained to “shoot to kill” if they pull over a Black or brown person, so long as a slight movement is made to justify it. It is as if police are told that civilians are the enemy, as if they are in a war zone.

We are not the enemy. We are the people you serve. We are the community. We are people. We matter. Black Lives Matter!