We Are Tired By Kaylan Amber Walcott
I am uncertain about a lot, but I am completely convinced of this; these times are scary, but unbelievably necessary.
I have spoken a lot to friends, family, and even my followers on social media about what it means to be Black in America, not just right now as the fight against police brutality is at the forefront of the news, but in a larger scheme of life. For centuries, people who look like me have been automatically subjected to a multitude of struggles, because for reasons I will never comprehend, someone decided that my skin color transcends the fact that I am human. The white man decided that my skin color made me an object, my skin color made me inferior, and now my skin color is apparently a weapon. If I have said it once, I have said it a million times: I would not wish the pain of being Black in America on my worst enemy. Nobody deserves the strife, the weight, or the outright fear that we experience on a daily basis because of the skin we were born in. As a young Black woman who was fortunate enough to make it this far in life, I understand that I have been given more than most. My parents worked for years after moving here to set me up for success. They knew then what I now understand for myself: I might start the race at the same time as a white person, but I am already 10 steps behind. I am grateful beyond words that my parents fought for me so now I can fight for others. I choose to fight because America only sees my skin, and so the next life taken could be mine. Don’t get me wrong, to be Black is also a beautiful gift. I truly feel honored and approach most days with such gratitude that I have access to the myriad of gifts that comes along with Black culture. I take pride in my race because to be Black is synonymous with resilience, strength, intelligence, beauty, and creativity. Very few could take years of suffering and still push on with hope for a greater future, but that is the African American experience. We live in a country that hates us (even though we built it for free), but we have chosen to turn it into something beautiful. But just because we are resilient, does not mean that we can continue to suffer like this. We are not immune to pain or loss. It hurts just as much every time it happens. To those out there who are confused or do not understand why the Black community and the world is so angry right now, I have a simple answer for you. We are tired. As a matter of fact, we are exhausted. The Black community has been suffering loss after loss, death after death, and injustice after injustice for years. We are tired of seeing our family members die at the hands of those who are called to ‘protect and serve’. Our hearts are weary and can81
