dear high school and college students,
i write this love letter to you as i’m struggling to mend my broken heart. i weep as yet another legal decision ignores evidence of a crime, instead choosing to minimize the value of black and brown lives in this version of america you are soon to inherit. i fume with you as you try to make sense of calls from a growing sect of the population to reclaim america and wonder who are we trying to reclaim it from. i scream with you as you demand to be seen and heard and acknowledged as human, free, and worthy of existence. i ponder with you as you seek to find meaning in a justice system that time after time commits injustices when black and bodies are involved.
i march with you, sign in hand, as you take to the streets and bring traffic in cities and on highways across the nation to a stand still. i abstain with you as you declare you will spend not one dime this holiday season unless it is at a black or brown establishment because our buying power is as powerful as our voices. i lay down with you as you crowd into common spaces on america’s high school and college campuses and hold die-ins because we are tired of seeing our babies, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, and friends slaughtered in the streets, imprisoned in for-profit correctional facilities, and forgotten or ignored in classrooms across the nation.
i shout with you, “wake up” because i recognize we were lulled into slumber surrounded by our middle-class comforts of luxury vehicles, suburban homes, and designer labels, while the majority of our people remain locked out of the american dream, existing just passed the “access denied” sign hanging at corporate headquarters in our major cities. i write this letter to you high school and college students, because i know you are tired, and angry, and energized, and powerful, and impactful. i write this letter to you high school and college students because i love you and i support you and i stand with you.
not only do you matter, but you are the hope of our nation. reverend jesse jackson said revolutions are started by students. thank you for being revolutionaries.
signed,
one brown girl in seattle who loves you
(a special thank you to my soror, rahiel tesfamariam, and her team at urbancusp.com for documenting the revolution. it might not be televisised, but it won’t be ignored!)
Video footage of East High School students in #Denver walking out of class this morning in support of #Ferguson: http://t.co/8VOpoWb5IE
— Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) December 3, 2014
One of the most powerful images from the #Ferguson uprisings. Iconic. Heartbreaking. #NotOneDime #BlackDecember pic.twitter.com/CuhQoC3ePj — Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) December 2, 2014
#Brown students staged a die-in. Organized by Black student leaders on campus. #BrownStandsWithFerguson #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/OkbSnjscfL
— Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) December 1, 2014
Students staged a die in for #HandsUpWalkOut in #TimesSquare #Ferguson #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/vkb23DWgAB — Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) December 1, 2014
#Yale University students protest in national day of #HandsUpWalkOut. #Ferguson #NotOneDime (Via Dream Defenders) pic.twitter.com/tKvbW6GFvm
— Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) December 1, 2014
In case you missed it, #Georgetown was SHUT DOWN yesterday. #DC #Ferguson #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/W7ZPUJQuLY — Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) November 30, 2014
#BlackFriday Die-in at Water Tower Place on Magnificent Mile #Chi2Ferguson (via @pizzaparty420) #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/Xa5xnroXaL
— Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) November 29, 2014
BREAKING: #Ferguson Galleria forced to close doors after protestors stage a “die in” protest. #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/cK63LDheei — Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) November 28, 2014
@StanfordBSU: We shut down #Stanford and Palo Alto. @TheRealBanner: I’m so proud of you @StanfordBSU #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/xI8oUOeC2j
— Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) November 28, 2014
Last post of the night goes to Rhode Island. You deserve it! WOW. #Ferguson #FergusonDecision #NotOneDime pic.twitter.com/fiOP2oE3yO — Urban Cusp Magazine (@UrbanCusp) November 26, 2014