On May 25th George Floyd was murdered by the police; a catalyst that led thousands of people to take to the streets shouting “Black Lives Matter!” around the world. I was one of those people.

Mind

My mind was made up. I was going to use my body to demand change. To be counted. But I had never been to a protest before. I’d been to a Women’s march or a Pride event, but nothing that felt so scary, necessary, or personal to me. Which is why I felt ridiculous when I caught myself thinking, “What should I wear?”. This is not an abnormal question for me, or really anyone who is mindful of how their physical appearance can be interpreted, or misinterpreted by others. It’s something I think about every day, but to give any thought to it on this day, felt vein.

“Once you understand how powerfully fashion drives perception, you can take the wheel.”

Dawnn Karen – Dress Your Best Life

Once I moved passed the guilt of vanity, I decided it wasn’t the worst idea to be strategic about what I wore. Let’s be very honest here. Folks are out in the streets demanding justice because people are LITERALLY being killed based on how they look. I thought it naive not to be prepared for the worst. I’d seen prior Black Lives Matter events end in police violence and I did not want to go in blind.

Body

While I understood that my clothing could make a statement, I also wanted to be practical. After a little bit of Googling I settled on a something nondescript; a t-shirt and leggings, all black. This represented my solidarity while also feeling appropriate to demonstrate the somberness of the day, and really the movement in general. My hair however, was anything but low-profile. This was a not so subtle “f*** you” to the policing of black women’s hair. But of course I wasn’t going anywhere in a pandemic without the proper coverage, so my Kente mask was an obvious choice. I was ready to show up.

When I arrived in East Palo Alto on June 3rd I was full of emotion. Aside from the expected anxiety and heaviness, I also felt a bit of pride. This particular event was organized and led by one of my students. A 15 year old black girl who mobilized her pre-dominantly white classmates, and Black and brown neighbors to protest against police brutality and racial injustice. A future leader.

The weather was almost unbearable, a blistering 90 degrees. Yet over 200 people gathered to hear this young lady speak, and to show up for the movement. We began in Jack Ferrel Park. Streets were blocked off to protect us as we marched; police and neighbors directed traffic. People from both sides of the 101 set up tents with cold water and snacks along the marching route. We chanted “No justice, no peace!” and “Black Lives Matter!” through the busiest streets in East Palo Alto until we reached our final destination at Bell Street Park.

Soul

Once there, we heard from city officials, community members, and the brave young lady who coordinated the whole event. Everyone spoke with great passion and their heartfelt words permeated the crowd. But for me, the most powerful point of the whole experience came at the end, when we all took a knee. We knelt in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. By now you probably know this is how long George Floyd suffered with the weight of Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck. In the week that led up to attending this protest, I had yet to sit with this particular detail. In the sweltering heat, this detail coupled with the images of his final moments, flooded my brain. As uncomfortable as I was, I could only imagine all the things George had felt on his final day. I felt so heavy but also angry and impassioned.

Showing Up

On this day, showing up meant standing in solidarity with my mind, body, and soul. It meant being mentally prepared for the variables of the day, dressing and utilizing my body to demonstrate my stance, and allowing my spirit to sit with a myriad of emotions. On other days, showing up looks like serving my Black and brown students at my 9-5, and using my social media platforms to shed light on social issues around the world.

So how does what I wore to a protest connect to any of what’s going on in the world today? The point is quite simple. We are all capable of showing up, big or small; even down to what we choose to wear. For you, it might be tough conversations with family and friends, or using your money to support folks doing the physical and intellectual work, or committing to continued education so that you can be a part of the solution.

So if you get nothing else from what I’ve shared in this post, I leave you with this:

Black lives matter. Today, tomorrow, and always.

How will show up for them? For us? Mind, body, and soul.