Olivia Benjamin-MacDonald (’21)
Why now?
Why did it take another black man to die?
Why did it take George’s sacrifice for you to start caring?
Where were you?
WHERE WERE YOU
How am I meant to believe that you will stay,
with me,
with us,
when you chose to just watch
10 deaths before.
100 deaths before.
As simple as it is – I don’t trust you.
Because I cannot risk the pain,
once you leave
us
again.
I’m meant to educate you now?
Educate yourself.
I was forced into this pain, trauma educated me.
You watched me suffer.
My baby cousins know more than you do.
They are babies.
They are babies.
And they know white lives are chosen over them,
Because apparently “All Lives Matter”.
The belittlement of their worth,
In 3 words.
3 words.
It took 3 days
for you to post something onto your story.
3 years
of trauma in my brain
300 years
of blood.
Black blood.
Our blood.
And still
You feel attacked by the generalizations.
“America is racist”
3 words.
3 words.
3 words.
You know you
will stay alive
And I won’t.
And for once
May I say,
Dear white people,
Your presence here,
isn’t about you.
It’s always been about you.
Don’t make it about you.
It’s about us.
Speak for us.
Those reparations
Are for us.
