~~~SisterSea~~~

Art and poem by The Reverend Dr. Victoria Marie Great style in preaching is not my forte But I hope it's not style but what I say I am now at a loss spechless, how do I relate a mix of emotions crush my heart with such weight can I help soothe the myriad, reactions to the madness to killing after killing in the Black community killers go too many times with leniency or impunity endangered species is how we feel hunted, not valued we know your apathy is real this last killing leaves us feel broken when will you act on the outrage you've spoken You say you're an ally even shed a tear yet we continue to die unarmed, over 50 each year We're killed by police who are supposed to protect us yet we live in fear that one of them will select us Black pastors around the nation “keep protests peaceful” implore white supremist infiltrate aim

I am so tired of hearing “All lives matter” in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.   I truly believe all lives matter but apparently that is not the social reality in the country of my birth.   I am not speaking of some so-called third world dictatorship.   I am speaking of the United States, the misnamed land of the free.   Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are the preserve of citizens of European descent.   It is a place where people of African descent are shot while jogging, shot while eating supper in their own apartment, and police extra-judicial killings are tolerated. The United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent began in 2015 and ends in 2024.   Like many other UN International Decades for…, this one is going largely unnoticed.   Yet, I say this is the perfect time to highlight the need for Euro-North Americans to step up.   It’s time for white people, who claim to be people of good will, who claim they despise racism, who claim