If someone was talking about you behind your back, and your friend overheard, wouldn’t you want a “true” friend to jump in and stand up for you? And if you found out they stayed quiet, wouldn’t you question your friendship with them? What’s the difference between that and saying you are an activist for people of color, yet when something happens you are the first person to go mute?
People fail to realize that silence is another deadly killer; many lives could have been saved if someone would have spoken up. Injustice for people of color has been going on for generations upon generations, but the only time people tend to notice it is after a tragic accident is “trending.” That’s when it makes you look good to go around saying you are an activist. The death of a Black man, a family being separated, and a Muslim being beaten because simple-minded people believe Muslims are terrorists should not be the reason you suddenly gain interest in being an activist.
Being an activist should be included in your day to day life regardless of if something traumatic happens. It shouldn’t take the death of George Floyd (God bless his soul) to make you finally post “Black Lives Matter” on your Instagram story.
The world around us needs changing, and as the next rising generation, we need to educate ourselves about what is going on around us. Being an activist goes farther than posting a black square on Instagram, then remaining quiet when racism appears right in front of you. Being an activist means dedicating time to educate yourself, having talks about equality, and actively speaking out when you see injustice, no matter how big or small.
If you are asking yourself, “Well how do I get more involved to even consider myself an activist?”, there are many opportunities around you, even here at EMU! These include joining clubs that fight against injustice, listening to people’s stories who have faced racism, and being there for them as a friend and ally. Create new ideas to make EMU a safer place for people of all cultures, religions, ethnicities, and more, so when more students arrive at EMU, they do not feel like outcasts. Go online and self-educate about REAL history. The list goes on, and it is up to you to make that change.