PUT MONEY IN THE RIGHT HANDS
The last two or so weeks in NYC have been heavily pressed with ongoing protests, marches and rallies. Many happening simultaneously in all five boroughs varying in sizes and colors and all just as impactful and beautiful in their own way. The first protest I had attended was May 31st, 2020 in Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn. It went all over downtown Brooklyn through the Brooklyn Bridge into Soho and halted at Union Square when a fire started.
The tension between police and us was one that had me crying through the words I screamed— NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. It was the beauty in the community and strength in unity that made me feel safe despite the police and their uniformed faces waiting to bust open our heads. As a white LatinX, I felt it was my responsibility to stand in the front and confront the police and protect those who would be offered less hesitance in violence.
As the days went by, the protests I attended continued in unity, but milder in tone. The inner misconception was that people had become complacent. At a protest in Mccarren Park, I saw white people dancing to NWA and taking selfies and it felt as if it was a morbid replacement of Smorgasburg. While remaining vigilant about performative activism, what I seek as an ally is tangible results from my activism.
I’d like to add that all my participation has led me to further the work of self confrontation as I acknowledge the racism in the Latino community and my own privileges as a white passing Latina. Maybe, there was a sense of resentment and fear I would be mistaken for the performative activist. There was an uncomfortable sensation of guilt, that my whole life I had not seen the privileges that I had over my brown and black cousins. My name, Jomari, the only mark of distinction when being interviewed that gave my cultural background away. It created knots in my throat, saying “Mic Check” around the group of selfies and smiles knowing George Floyd called for his mother because he knew he was going to die.
I do not claim that we do not see change without seeing protest like that Sunday in Union Square, but that we do not forget Breanna Taylor’s murderers remain free. That we realize a fund was made to release George Floyd’s murderer Derek Chauvin. We are not done here.
As I continue to show up and as we continue to show up, I think its important to also keep driving home that activism looks different for different people. Some of us can put our bodies between the NYPD and our Black sister/brothers. Some of us can call state officials and ask for them to push policies. Some of us are learning to use our voice and some would rather show up with money. All of those things are needed.
With the help of our team and theGIRLMOB community, we have compiled a list of black owned businesses you can support. Put your money in the right hands.
