2L Representative
Embedded Files
Even in responding and adjusting to the complexities of a global pandemic, we have been reminded of the omnipresence of a more persistent pandemic: racism. Racism has been an enduring theme in America’s tale of “freedom and justice” despite how paradoxical it may sound.
In the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubry, and Breonna Taylor, I have been left with unanswered questions, overwhelming feelings of grief, and even down right hopelessness as I look at the world around us–the world I inherited and will one day pass down to my future children.
I, and several of my friends at Wake, came to law school with the hopes of dismantling oppressive regimes that trap people in generational poverty, strip some of their liberty, and execute others with impunity. We came with the genuine belief that we could make lasting change in this country. And after the death of George Floyd and as protests erupted across the country, I sat in my room questioning whether that belief was a realistic one.
For context, I’m not a novice when it comes to race relations. Aside from my lived experience as a black woman in America, I’ve been writing and reading about race ever since I can remember. In 5th grade, I wrote a book about Jim Crow and the racial terror of the South. This topic was not new to me, however this sense of hopelessness was newly found. I asked myself what tangible difference can I make in the fight against racism– an issue that's been plaguing our nation before its very inception? It seemed like an impracticable task, but one thing I did know was that apathy, indifference, and desensitivity will not make even the slightest tread toward a better society, or world.
At that moment I had a simple, but profound realization: I cannot and will not do it ALL. No one can or will. It takes collective action and goodwill. It is imperative you–and I– stay engaged and connected, as hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
It is imperative that while we are on the grounds toiling, we are also grounded in our faith and hope for the future. And that we understand that we are woven together in our humanity and that what affects you directly, affects me indirectly. This should incite an even greater sense of responsibility, knowing that your brothers and sisters are depending on you to make a difference in this world. Each of us has a role to play in the struggle against the “-isms” (racism, sexism, classism, etc), and I am challenging all of us to do something to further the human and civil rights of others, no matter how big or small we perceive it to be. History, and most importantly, humanity is counting on it. For us, apathy is no longer an option.
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