Black Lives Matter means solidarity, not division – El Tecolote
Illustration: Min Lee
All lives matter.
That was my gut reaction to the media traction of the Black Lives Matter movement. Initially, I was empathetic to the high profile killings of black Americans, but simultaneously upset Pedro Villanueva, Melissa Ventura, Anthony Nuez, Raul Saavedra-Vargas, Vinson Ramos and Alex Nieto, all brown victims of police brutality, were not given the same national empathy.
I was worried the nature of the movement only further highlighted the black and white racial binary in this country. As a community, we are quick to point out our injustices and shortcomings, but are the last to acknowledge the very real, very anti-black sentiments in our community.
Last month, a video surfaced of an off-duty LAPD officer Kevin Ferguson grabbing and dragging a Latino 13 year old, and firing his gun during the confrontation when the 13-year-olds teenage friends tried to intervene. It was hard not to notice the first to step up and attempt to break up the confrontation was the only black teenager.
The video quickly went viral with little attention from the Latinx community to acknowledge, let alone praise, the young black man who set off the resistant actions towards the officer. I found myself listening to conversations that resurfaced dismissive attitudes towards the black community despite this young mans initiative.
I was disappointed, frustrated but understanding. I dont condone their perspectives, but I understand where and why they have the sentiments they maintain. This incident was one tied with state violence, police brutality and institutionalized privilege. When discussing and protesting police violence, its hard not to evoke the dialogue surrounding Black Lives Matter, but due to culturally embedded antiblack sentiments, it can be hard for many Latinx, who like me, at one point or another, could not understand why in the face of authority, we couldnt just say, all lives matter.
It took me making the conscious and active effort to listen, an incredibly patient sociology professor, and the willingness to learn that I was able to confront my cultural prejudices and to see the world beyond my brown lens. A lens that was narrow and lacked intersectionality beyond the identities I grew up with.
It wasnt until I confronted the harsh realities of my ingrained cultural prejudices, that I was able to understand that the expulsion of my communities contributions to Americas social fabric is not the fault of black Americans. It was never their fault, but it was a convenient narrative to feed one community of color, to condemn and further marginalize another.
The brown community, can not and should not condemn a whole other community because historically America has undermined the political standing of all ethnic groups. To condemn one community, is to condemn all communities. All communities of color are victims of state violence. Historically, we have all lacked equal access. We have all lacked properly funded schools, safe neighborhoods and equitable health care. Condemning one another wont fix those community components, they will just be cemented and perpetuated as our permanent state of being.
The Latinx community has problems and systematic injustices unique to its demographic, but that doesnt mean we dont have privileges distinctly our own. For starters, we werent forced to come to the Americas, were from the Americas. We have our own struggles, but we cant deny our anti blackness stems back to the colonization of our countries. A culture where being referred to as morena/o can be used derogatorily, where colorism is so deeply embedded, our telenovelas and media outlets exclusively highlight and celebrate eurocentric features and mannerisms.
Americas identity, history and accumulation of wealth was literally built on the backs of black Americans. Racism is inherently a part of Americas identity. Prejudice towards black Americans is inherent to Americas history. That being said, for many Latinxs, rather than being racially scape goated themselves, assimilating to be American can sometimes mean embracing and retaining anti-black sentiments in order to garner social privileges.
Racial and ethnic stratification in America has made it so that certain races are socially positioned to either garner or be denied privileges. Historically, America has undermined the political standing of all ethnic groups. I can attest that the Latinx communitys collective identity is ambiguous, but I cannot deny its intersectionality and profound anti-blackness.
I will never comprehend what it means to be black in America, but I do know that for those of us who believe in justice and those of us who believe in the power of the people, it is imperative we stand in solidarity and provide an unwavering solidarity to support the community that unapologetically proclaims, Black Lives Matter. To ignore our need to stand in solidarity is to ignore the social and political power of two communities that together, along with other communities of color, can only strengthen Americas social fabric and rectify embedded prejudice.
Alex Nieto Anaheim Anthony Nuez Black Lives Matter Kevin Ferguson LAPD Melissa Ventura Pedro Villanueva police brutality Raul Saavedra-Vargas Vinson Ramos
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Black Lives Matter means solidarity, not division - El Tecolote