We Cannot Give Up The Fight: Justice For Jacob Blake

#allblacklivesmatter

“I don’t have the privilege of waiting around till the death of another Black man causes another wave of outrage. One more Black death in the hands of the police is one Black death too many.”

My sister, anti-racism writer Sharon Hurley Hall, wrote these words a few weeks ago. And here we are. 

More carnage. 

More police brutality. 

More unchecked racism.

More DARVO.

Another Black person (almost) murdered by police for the “crime” of existing in a Black body. 

Like so many Black and brown people I am in mourning for Jacob Blake. 

I am in mourning because he was never, not for a second, presumed to be innocent.

I am in mourning for his children; his family; his community.

I am in mourning because he is now paralyzed from the waist down.

I am in mourning because the racist cops added insult to injury by handcuffing him to his hospital bed.

I am in mourning because yet another Black person has become yet another hashtag.

I am in mourning because (as usual) the racist pundits are spinning the narrative to blame Mr. Blake, the victim, who was shot 7 times in the back.

I am in mourning because his good deed, tragically, did not go unpunished.

I am in mourning for every Black person that has had to stumble through this past week and attempt to function, despite their grief. 

I am in mourning because “justice for all”—isn’t.

I am in mourning because it seems like this sick cycle of violence against Black bodies will never end. 

BUT

We cannot give up the fight✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾, though sometimes the fight feels overwhelming. We cannot give up the fight, because we don’t have the privilege of doing so. We cannot relax or relent.

We.

Cannot.

Give up.

The fight.

Anybody who is reading this and needs a hug, I’m sending you one. I’m sending you encouragement. I’m sending you faith. I’m sending you ferocity to help you to continue to push back forcefully against the powers that are trying to obliterate us.

I’m sending you permission (if you need it) to take a break (if you need it). And a reminder that after that break, we must continue to do the work. Because clearly nobody is doing it for us. And few are doing it with us.

I’m sending you love. I am sending you restoration. I am sending you power. Of the Black variety.

And I am sending you armor. Because this is war. 

For the sake of Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Sandra Bland, and the countless others of our fallen sisters and brothers:

We.

Cannot.

Give up.

The fight.

Today, and every day, #thestrugglecontinues.

✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

#blacklivesmatter✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 #justiceforjacobblake #throwshadethenvote #defundthepolice

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Text and images ⒸLisa Hurley/@happyhappyphoenix