Hi, this is Chantal the Founder of Love & Nudes and there is something I have to say. I am so exhausted. The ongoing murders of black men/women by white law enforcement along with apathy towards missing and murdered indigenous people is a massive cross to bear for those belonging to these racialized groups.
As a Black woman and mother of a Black son, fear is ALWAYS on my mind. My horror filled thought is that my son could end up as a hashtag due to the colour of his skin, just like Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and too many other names to list.
Black boys and men are 2.5 times more likely to die at the hands of police than white men according to a study from the Center for Disease Control. There are times I've had to discourage my son from wearing certain clothes (such as hoodies especially after Trayvon Martin) that he loves and questioning him about whether he should braid his hair, stifling his creative expression which is a big part of his personality, because he might be perceived as a criminal by white people. I worried when he worked in remote cities in Alberta, Canada because I knew it would be all white populations, and feared what their reaction would be to my son's dark skin tone.
White privilege is real and this needs to stop being denied. Get out of your comfort zone and speak out against racism at work, at home, and in public spaces. Encourage your families and friends to join you in this movement for change no matter how awkward it might be. Part of the issue we’re faced with is that no one wants to be uncomfortable. It's in these awkward moments and conversations that things can start to shift and contribute to the positive changes we need for healing and survival. We have had Enough. Death due to dark skin is unconscionable.