Black Amnesia
What does it mean to be black in America?
The first word I think of is amnesia. The country we live in has consistently asked us to forget. We were told to forget the history and lives robbed from us during the TransAtlantic Slave trade; our lives began once we arrived in the “Free World”.
We are told to forget slavery, that it has not entered into our modern day society. We are told to forget our past, hard work will elevate us as a whole, heck we had a black president. While we are told to forget, daily events remind us how under-valued the Black American is.
Before COVID, black communities were disproportionately faced with unemployment, reduced educational resources,faulty healthcare, and had higher chances of incarceration compared to other groups. The COVID pandemic, has ballooned in the Black community due to historical oppression. It has become evident in major cities, like Philadelphia, where my family has lived for five generations. In a city where Blacks make up ~ 40% of the population, Philadelphia has reported over half of the cities COVID related deaths are Black Americans, making them 30% more likely to die from COVID than white patients.
Philadelphia is not the only city struggling with racial disparity in affected COVID deaths. Major cities such as Philadelphia caution that the numbers only represent a small portion of COVID cases (~1/4th); however this does not ease my mind. Social and economic struggles have plagued Black Americans, making us more vulnerable to the COVID pandemic, and I believe the inequality gap will widen. Philadelphia is not the only city struggling with racial disparity in affected COVID deaths, and unfortunately I believe the disparity will only rise in the coming months.
All the while fighting a global pandemic, the black community is still haunted by hatred, which for some results in death. The lives of Black Americans are still under fire. On February 23, 2020 weeks before most states and cities enacted stay-at-home orders, 25 year old Ahmaud Arbery was shot down while jogging in his neighborhood by a white father and son. Only after national coverage due to social media, and legal intervention by the family of Ahmaud were charges brought towards these men. Less recognized but just as horrifying, is the story of Breonna Taylor, a paramedic who was shot in her own home while police officers served a warrant, at the wrong place. While the family of Ms. Taylor have taken to social media and news outlets, we have yet to get any information from the police. We do know that Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend who was there at the time, is now in custody for attempted murder and using deadly force against an officer, even though he believed at the time they were getting robbed.
Amid a global pandemic we see the struggles of Black America amplified with little coverage on solutions. Hearing and seeing these struggles in our own circle can be defeating. For Black Americans and allies, this is the time to uplift one another. Now more than ever, I have to be honest and trust in my community. This starts with fighting off black amnesia and investing in our community. We can take action by making our voices heard through voting, calling our official representatives to demand that they protect us, and finding a community to support and uplift us. I found this support at A Virtual WOCSpace which feeds and strengthens me. Attendees help me stay motivated about my work, and goals, but more importantly it’s a virtual place where I can be my whole self.
During this historic time, we must be present, in our families, our work, our relationships, but most importantly, we must be present for ourselves, and that starts with not forgetting…