Black Lives Matter.

We don't matter anymore, do we? We're not trending anymore. We're not protesting like we used to. We don't matter anymore, do we?

That's kind of what it feels like at this point; the people have stopped talking about the Black Lives Matter movement again and the cycle will continue. More black people and people of color will continue to feel underneath the rest of humanity because of a racist system and the indifference of the people who can make a difference.

While I stayed quiet here on The Rap Clash, I wasn't. I tried to use my platform to bring awareness to the problem through social media and The Rap Clash Podcast's first episode, which can be found here.

But now that the news has gone quiet and life seems to be returning to normal after all of the craziness that came in the first six months of 2020, it's time to talk about it again.

I can't let you forget all of the people who continue to feel suffocated every single day at the hands of the establishment. I can't let you forget Goerge Floyd. Or Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. Elijah McClain. Say their names. Say all of their names. 

Do I believe that change will begin today? It would be dumb to believe that monumental steps in a movement can happen after a singular day, but it can see the beginning of change. Black Lives Matter cannot be a start-and-stop movement, because Black people and people of color can't start-and-stop being black. We are continuously under the threat or fear of being killed by the people who are meant to protect us.

This is the reality of the black people that sit beside you at work and at school or on public transit.

Police officers need to be defunded. I'm not calling to destroy the entire system, because I believe that change can be made with proper training and not putting every case on the police. Certain things, such as mental health checks, should be done by mental health professionals. Isn't that simple? But for that to happen, we need to be able to fund those professionals. They won't work for free and neither will the police.

Speak their names. Defined the police and don't forget that this a movement and not a singular move towards change. Continue fighting.

Sincerely yours,

Ryan