DEREK WHITAKER: You know I love to talk science. Today I’d like to talk about the Human race, specifically about the color of your skin, eyes, and hair. You see, we are all a variant of the hominid species known as Homo sapiens which evolved over the last 150,000 years in different geographical locations of our planet. This resulted in variations of our tyrosinase enzymes depending on our proximity to the equator and intake of vitamin D. In other words, depending on how far your ancestors migrated away from where they received the most exposure to the sun, more light was needed to be absorbed by their melanin for biosynthesis to adapt to the changes in sunlight exposure, thus resulting in different colors of skin pigmentation throughout the globe. This is why some of you have beautiful dark skin while I’m stuck with a pasty white that burns and freckles with the slightest bit of extra sun. So, to anyone that holds prejudice against someone because they process sunlight exposure differently from you, well…I’m prejudice against you for being a fucking idiot.
SHENITA DENISON I’m tired of Black people getting unapologetically murdered. I’m tired of being desensitized by it because it happens once a month. I’m tired of being the Black representative. I’m tired of fearing having Black children. I’m tired of seeing #blacklivesmatter because it’s usually associated with death. I’m tired of praising myself because I’m a Black woman who supposedly has beat racial odds. I’m tired of people looking at me in surprise when it is clear I’m not loud, ghetto, violent, or the other adjectives, like ignorant, that society uses to describe people who look like me. I’m tired of praising Black men doing well because society says that’s unbelievable and I want them to feel supported and loved because society does not. I’m tired of being afraid of the police. At times, I’m tired of being Black. It’s exhausting. But I think of my ancestors, the civil rights activists, the abolitionists, my parents- those who fought tirelessly for people like me. I think of God who, with purpose, made me Black. I think of all the youth that need hope and shoulders to stand on. I think of how society wants Black people to feel discouraged, hopeless, broken, against each other, worthless. I can’t be tired of being Black. It’s just the opposite. Lord, we need you. We are tired. Help all that look like me to be the opposite. To own it, empower it, pray for it, take a stand for it, be unwavering in it, proud of it, protect it, promote it and stand strong in it. To educate others about it, unite in it, be positive examples of it, and not get tired of it. Our Blackness. I pray most for those who do not look like me. We need you too. Stop wanting to kill us. Let us live- like your kids, brothers, and husbands do; stop killing ours. Stop being afraid of us; that it has to be “us vs. them” instead of “both/and”. Stop hating us. Stop holding your bags close and walking fast with your head down when we pass you by. Stop feeling proud because I’m your only Black friend so that makes you “down”. Stop feeling bad around those that look like you because you really are “down”. Show your kids the many great things about the Black race. You need help? Ask me. Play and pray with us. Stop feeling like you can’t do anything. You can. Use your privilege.
I am tired but I am not broken. God was tired but He was not broken. “Because of them, I can.” Because of them, I will not be broken. I like that as a hashtag better.