last week I watched a video that was shot in downtown Toronto of a man who
shot in downtown Toronto of a man who
shot in downtown Toronto of a man who was being tortured by the Toronto Police
was being tortured by the Toronto Police
was being tortured by the Toronto Police this man was facedown on the ground and
this man was facedown on the ground and
this man was facedown on the ground and his hands were cuffed behind his back
his hands were cuffed behind his back
his hands were cuffed behind his back and he wasn’t moving in the 90 second
and he wasn’t moving in the 90 second
and he wasn’t moving in the 90 second video that I saw one of the police
video that I saw one of the police
video that I saw one of the police officers one of the many police officers
officers one of the many police officers
officers one of the many police officers that was standing around this man
that was standing around this man
that was standing around this man deployed a Taser against him twice and
deployed a Taser against him twice and
deployed a Taser against him twice and you could see his body convulsing as the
you could see his body convulsing as the
you could see his body convulsing as the electricity ran through it
electricity ran through it
electricity ran through it another officer repeatedly kicked this
another officer repeatedly kicked this
another officer repeatedly kicked this man in the back there were people
man in the back there were people
man in the back there were people standing around watching and many of
standing around watching and many of
standing around watching and many of them were frozen in horror while others
them were frozen in horror while others
them were frozen in horror while others just simply walked by and why not why
just simply walked by and why not why
just simply walked by and why not why not simply walk by the police after all
not simply walk by the police after all
not simply walk by the police after all were just doing their job right
were just doing their job right
were just doing their job right the police were preserving order and
the police were preserving order and
the police were preserving order and maintaining public safety
maintaining public safety
maintaining public safety they were maintaining Public Safety by
they were maintaining Public Safety by
they were maintaining Public Safety by brutalizing a defense of defenseless
brutalizing a defense of defenseless
brutalizing a defense of defenseless black man while people watched or just
black man while people watched or just
black man while people watched or just walked on by now I don’t have time for
walked on by now I don’t have time for
walked on by now I don’t have time for public safety its of no use to me I have
public safety its of no use to me I have
public safety its of no use to me I have come to recognize as a black person that
come to recognize as a black person that
come to recognize as a black person that Public Safety is we define it not only
Public Safety is we define it not only
Public Safety is we define it not only seems to exclude me not only seems to
seems to exclude me not only seems to
seems to exclude me not only seems to exclude my need for safety as a black
exclude my need for safety as a black
exclude my need for safety as a black person black people actually know that
person black people actually know that
person black people actually know that it’s more than that we know that Public
it’s more than that we know that Public
it’s more than that we know that Public Safety is actually defined as an absence
Safety is actually defined as an absence
Safety is actually defined as an absence of our safety as black people it’s
of our safety as black people it’s
of our safety as black people it’s defined by the ability of people like
defined by the ability of people like
defined by the ability of people like those police officers in that video to
those police officers in that video to
those police officers in that video to follow us wherever we go to stop us to
follow us wherever we go to stop us to
follow us wherever we go to stop us to interrogate us to ask us questions to
interrogate us to ask us questions to
interrogate us to ask us questions to ask us for our identification to pull us
ask us for our identification to pull us
ask us for our identification to pull us over while we’re driving in our cars to
over while we’re driving in our cars to
over while we’re driving in our cars to put their head
put their head
put their head on us to arrest us to throw us to the
on us to arrest us to throw us to the
on us to arrest us to throw us to the ground to kick us to run electricity
ground to kick us to run electricity
ground to kick us to run electricity through our bodies and of course just to
through our bodies and of course just to
through our bodies and of course just to shoot us dead
public safety as we define it in Canada
public safety as we define it in Canada right now it doesn’t exclude us as black
right now it doesn’t exclude us as black
right now it doesn’t exclude us as black people it is antithetical to our
people it is antithetical to our
people it is antithetical to our blackness and it’s not just a function
blackness and it’s not just a function
blackness and it’s not just a function of policing it’s of all of our
of policing it’s of all of our
of policing it’s of all of our institutions and a large large swath of
institutions and a large large swath of
institutions and a large large swath of the general public public safety the way
the general public public safety the way
the general public public safety the way that we conceive of it today is anti
that we conceive of it today is anti
that we conceive of it today is anti black let’s break that down okay let’s
black let’s break that down okay let’s
black let’s break that down okay let’s think about one of the major fundamental
think about one of the major fundamental
think about one of the major fundamental underlying ideas of policing that’s the
underlying ideas of policing that’s the
underlying ideas of policing that’s the idea that really in order to keep the
idea that really in order to keep the
idea that really in order to keep the entire public safe the police need the
entire public safe the police need the
entire public safe the police need the ability to hurt individual members of
ability to hurt individual members of
ability to hurt individual members of the public that might sound like a weird
the public that might sound like a weird
the public that might sound like a weird way of saying it but if we are actually
way of saying it but if we are actually
way of saying it but if we are actually honest that’s the truth but let’s go
honest that’s the truth but let’s go
honest that’s the truth but let’s go further in order to really keep public
further in order to really keep public
further in order to really keep public safety the police actually need to be
safety the police actually need to be
safety the police actually need to be able to kill individual members of the
able to kill individual members of the
able to kill individual members of the public without consequence that’s what
public without consequence that’s what
public without consequence that’s what we’re talking about when we talk about
we’re talking about when we talk about
we’re talking about when we talk about public safety in Canada when it comes to
public safety in Canada when it comes to
public safety in Canada when it comes to the police they need to be able to kill
the police they need to be able to kill
the police they need to be able to kill in order to maintain your safety so who
in order to maintain your safety so who
in order to maintain your safety so who do the police kill in 2015 my colleague
do the police kill in 2015 my colleague
do the police kill in 2015 my colleague Wendy Gillis at the Toronto Star wrote a
Wendy Gillis at the Toronto Star wrote a
Wendy Gillis at the Toronto Star wrote a piece entitled how many black men have
piece entitled how many black men have
piece entitled how many black men have been killed by Toronto police we can’t
been killed by Toronto police we can’t
been killed by Toronto police we can’t know now the reason that we can’t know
know now the reason that we can’t know
know now the reason that we can’t know is because the Toronto Police do not
is because the Toronto Police do not
is because the Toronto Police do not keep statistics about how many black
keep statistics about how many black
keep statistics about how many black people they kill neither does the
people they kill neither does the
people they kill neither does the Special Investigations Unit which
Special Investigations Unit which
Special Investigations Unit which investigates police brutality in Ontario
investigates police brutality in Ontario
investigates police brutality in Ontario neither does the ministry that oversees
neither does the ministry that oversees
neither does the ministry that oversees the siu and the police and neither do
the siu and the police and neither do
the siu and the police and neither do statistics Canada so none of those
statistics Canada so none of those
statistics Canada so none of those agencies keep information about how many
agencies keep information about how many
agencies keep information about how many black people are killed by police
black people are killed by police
black people are killed by police Wendy Gillis had to do it by using the
Wendy Gillis had to do it by using the
Wendy Gillis had to do it by using the available siu information and
available siu information and
available siu information and cross-referencing it with news stories
cross-referencing it with news stories
cross-referencing it with news stories so what did Wendy find in a period
so what did Wendy find in a period
so what did Wendy find in a period between 1990 and 2015 the Toronto Police
between 1990 and 2015 the Toronto Police
between 1990 and 2015 the Toronto Police just the Toronto Police killed by
just the Toronto Police killed by
just the Toronto Police killed by shooting 51 people of those 51 18 were
shooting 51 people of those 51 18 were
shooting 51 people of those 51 18 were black men that is 35 percent of police
black men that is 35 percent of police
black men that is 35 percent of police shootings targeting black men and by the
shootings targeting black men and by the
shootings targeting black men and by the way 17 out of the 51 men we couldn’t
way 17 out of the 51 men we couldn’t
way 17 out of the 51 men we couldn’t identify their race so that 35% of black
identify their race so that 35% of black
identify their race so that 35% of black men being killed could actually even be
men being killed could actually even be
men being killed could actually even be higher even though black men make up
higher even though black men make up
higher even though black men make up only a tiny fraction of the population
only a tiny fraction of the population
only a tiny fraction of the population in Toronto that we’re talking about so
in Toronto that we’re talking about so
in Toronto that we’re talking about so this leads us to an obvious question why
this leads us to an obvious question why
this leads us to an obvious question why aren’t our institutions keeping this
aren’t our institutions keeping this
aren’t our institutions keeping this information why aren’t our institutions
information why aren’t our institutions
information why aren’t our institutions telling us how many people are killed by
telling us how many people are killed by
telling us how many people are killed by the police and what their racial
the police and what their racial
the police and what their racial identity is well it’s easy I told you
identity is well it’s easy I told you
identity is well it’s easy I told you our institutions are not interested in
our institutions are not interested in
our institutions are not interested in black safety our institutions are
black safety our institutions are
black safety our institutions are interested in public safety and what’s
interested in public safety and what’s
interested in public safety and what’s more than that our institutions are
more than that our institutions are
more than that our institutions are actually afraid that if they break it
actually afraid that if they break it
actually afraid that if they break it down and if they stalk specifically
down and if they stalk specifically
down and if they stalk specifically about blackness and the brutality that
about blackness and the brutality that
about blackness and the brutality that we experience well that that might be
we experience well that that might be
we experience well that that might be you know divisive that might be
you know divisive that might be
you know divisive that might be corrosive it might make people upset and
corrosive it might make people upset and
corrosive it might make people upset and anxious and disturb the general public
anxious and disturb the general public
anxious and disturb the general public order so in order to preserve that
order so in order to preserve that
order so in order to preserve that general public order what do we do we
general public order what do we do we
general public order what do we do we hide and we cover up all the statistics
hide and we cover up all the statistics
hide and we cover up all the statistics that relate to blackness and anti black
that relate to blackness and anti black
that relate to blackness and anti black violence and this conversation is not
violence and this conversation is not
violence and this conversation is not simply about it’s as black people being
simply about it’s as black people being
simply about it’s as black people being killed by our police that’s the worst
killed by our police that’s the worst
killed by our police that’s the worst outcome it’s also about the police
outcome it’s also about the police
outcome it’s also about the police having the ability to surveil us under
having the ability to surveil us under
having the ability to surveil us under practices like carding as in you get
practices like carding as in you get
practices like carding as in you get stopped by the police and they ask for
stopped by the police and they ask for
stopped by the police and they ask for your identification card this is a
your identification card this is a
your identification card this is a practice that happens to people who are
practice that happens to people who are
practice that happens to people who are not suspected of a crime it happens
not suspected of a crime it happens
not suspected of a crime it happens millions of times every year in our
millions of times every year in our
millions of times every year in our country and it doesn’t matter where you
country and it doesn’t matter where you
country and it doesn’t matter where you look
look
look Halifax Nova Scotia Ottawa Ontario
Halifax Nova Scotia Ottawa Ontario
Halifax Nova Scotia Ottawa Ontario Hamilton Ontario Peel Toronto Windsor
Hamilton Ontario Peel Toronto Windsor
Hamilton Ontario Peel Toronto Windsor Waterloo everywhere where there are
Waterloo everywhere where there are
Waterloo everywhere where there are statistics about this whether the black
statistics about this whether the black
statistics about this whether the black population is really large or whether
population is really large or whether
population is really large or whether it’s really small
it’s really small
it’s really small we are always disproportionately stopped
we are always disproportionately stopped
we are always disproportionately stopped and documented by our police and that
and documented by our police and that
and documented by our police and that carding information goes into police
carding information goes into police
carding information goes into police databases and is kept there in
databases and is kept there in
databases and is kept there in definitely and by the way while we’re on
definitely and by the way while we’re on
definitely and by the way while we’re on this subject it’s actually not even just
this subject it’s actually not even just
this subject it’s actually not even just about police let’s talk about black
about police let’s talk about black
about police let’s talk about black children black children in this country
children black children in this country
children black children in this country are disproportionately taken from their
are disproportionately taken from their
are disproportionately taken from their parents through the child welfare system
parents through the child welfare system
parents through the child welfare system black children are disproportionately
black children are disproportionately
black children are disproportionately suspended and expelled from schools
suspended and expelled from schools
suspended and expelled from schools across this country and when they are
across this country and when they are
across this country and when they are able to stay in school black children
able to stay in school black children
able to stay in school black children are disproportionately put into special
are disproportionately put into special
are disproportionately put into special education programs and lower academic
education programs and lower academic
education programs and lower academic streaming programs even if those
streaming programs even if those
streaming programs even if those programs are not suitable for them now
programs are not suitable for them now
programs are not suitable for them now many people want to attribute these
many people want to attribute these
many people want to attribute these things to problems in black culture they
things to problems in black culture they
things to problems in black culture they want to attribute it to poverty or
want to attribute it to poverty or
want to attribute it to poverty or recent immigration status or the in dual
recent immigration status or the in dual
recent immigration status or the in dual individual biases of teachers or social
individual biases of teachers or social
individual biases of teachers or social workers and let’s be honest non black
workers and let’s be honest non black
workers and let’s be honest non black people have to believe these things
people have to believe these things
people have to believe these things about us they have to believe it so that
about us they have to believe it so that
about us they have to believe it so that they can continue policing us and not
they can continue policing us and not
they can continue policing us and not police themselves
police themselves
police themselves this has to be believed about us so that
this has to be believed about us so that
this has to be believed about us so that that policing can continue and and and
that policing can continue and and and
that policing can continue and and and so that all the things that are
so that all the things that are
so that all the things that are projected on us by non black people all
projected on us by non black people all
projected on us by non black people all of the ways in which violence is
of the ways in which violence is
of the ways in which violence is reproduced against us all the problems
reproduced against us all the problems
reproduced against us all the problems that are caused through these ideas
that are caused through these ideas
that are caused through these ideas don’t have to be
don’t have to be
don’t have to be examined that’s what’s really going on
examined that’s what’s really going on
examined that’s what’s really going on white supremacy is the ideology that’s
white supremacy is the ideology that’s
white supremacy is the ideology that’s at play here and when I talk about white
at play here and when I talk about white
at play here and when I talk about white supremacy I’m saying that white
supremacy I’m saying that white
supremacy I’m saying that white supremacy derives its safety and its
supremacy derives its safety and its
supremacy derives its safety and its comfort directly through violence
comfort directly through violence
comfort directly through violence against black people you do not have to
against black people you do not have to
against black people you do not have to be black or sorry you do not have to be
be black or sorry you do not have to be
be black or sorry you do not have to be white to benefit from white supremacy
white to benefit from white supremacy
white to benefit from white supremacy although I admit it helps actually white
although I admit it helps actually white
although I admit it helps actually white supremacy is for anyone and everyone who
supremacy is for anyone and everyone who
supremacy is for anyone and everyone who accepts the power and the comforts that
accepts the power and the comforts that
accepts the power and the comforts that come along with a hierarchical structure
come along with a hierarchical structure
come along with a hierarchical structure where whiteness is at the top and
where whiteness is at the top and
where whiteness is at the top and blackness is at the bottom anchoring
blackness is at the bottom anchoring
blackness is at the bottom anchoring that entire structure that’s what we
that entire structure that’s what we
that entire structure that’s what we mean when we talk about white supremacy
mean when we talk about white supremacy
mean when we talk about white supremacy now as a result of that since black
now as a result of that since black
now as a result of that since black people are among the most vulnerable
people are among the most vulnerable
people are among the most vulnerable people in our society and I’m trying to
people in our society and I’m trying to
people in our society and I’m trying to focus when I talk to you specifically
focus when I talk to you specifically
focus when I talk to you specifically about anti black racism and the problems
about anti black racism and the problems
about anti black racism and the problems the singular problems that we face as
the singular problems that we face as
the singular problems that we face as black people I’m not trying to
black people I’m not trying to
black people I’m not trying to marginalize the struggles of other
marginalize the struggles of other
marginalize the struggles of other groups I’m trying just to talk about us
groups I’m trying just to talk about us
groups I’m trying just to talk about us right now but since we know that we are
right now but since we know that we are
right now but since we know that we are set such vulnerability improving our
set such vulnerability improving our
set such vulnerability improving our safety as black people would necessarily
safety as black people would necessarily
safety as black people would necessarily improve general safety would it not but
improve general safety would it not but
improve general safety would it not but there’s a problem that idea of it’s
there’s a problem that idea of it’s
there’s a problem that idea of it’s focusing on us and improving our safety
focusing on us and improving our safety
focusing on us and improving our safety that idea is threatening to white
that idea is threatening to white
that idea is threatening to white supremacy let me explain what I mean I
supremacy let me explain what I mean I
supremacy let me explain what I mean I talked about the police shooting black
talked about the police shooting black
talked about the police shooting black men disproportionately and killing us
men disproportionately and killing us
men disproportionately and killing us the easiest way to stop police from
the easiest way to stop police from
the easiest way to stop police from killing black men with guns is to take
killing black men with guns is to take
killing black men with guns is to take those guns away now some of you in this
those guns away now some of you in this
those guns away now some of you in this room who are listening got nervous when
room who are listening got nervous when
room who are listening got nervous when I said that why did you get nervous I
I said that why did you get nervous I
I said that why did you get nervous I just told you that black men keep
just told you that black men keep
just told you that black men keep getting shot and killed by the police
getting shot and killed by the police
getting shot and killed by the police and I would imagine that you want that
and I would imagine that you want that
and I would imagine that you want that to stop but when I suggest the most
to stop but when I suggest the most
to stop but when I suggest the most logical way for that to happen
logical way for that to happen
logical way for that to happen taking guns away from police you got
taking guns away from police you got
taking guns away from police you got scared I should imagine that some of you
scared I should imagine that some of you
scared I should imagine that some of you in this room got scared because you
in this room got scared because you
in this room got scared because you started thinking to yourself but wait a
started thinking to yourself but wait a
started thinking to yourself but wait a minute if the police don’t have guns
minute if the police don’t have guns
minute if the police don’t have guns that will make who Oh everyone unsafe I
that will make who Oh everyone unsafe I
that will make who Oh everyone unsafe I actually think it would make me much
actually think it would make me much
actually think it would make me much more safe as a black person but you’re
more safe as a black person but you’re
more safe as a black person but you’re thinking about everyone and so in the
thinking about everyone and so in the
thinking about everyone and so in the name of keeping everyone safe it’s
name of keeping everyone safe it’s
name of keeping everyone safe it’s better to have guns in those police’s
better to have guns in those police’s
better to have guns in those police’s hands even if they end up
hands even if they end up
hands even if they end up disproportionately killing me and my
disproportionately killing me and my
disproportionately killing me and my people and let’s go even further than
people and let’s go even further than
people and let’s go even further than that when we talk about disarming the
that when we talk about disarming the
that when we talk about disarming the police what is the number one excuse
police what is the number one excuse
police what is the number one excuse that we are given why it can’t happen
that we are given why it can’t happen
that we are given why it can’t happen well it’s the gangs you know the gangs
well it’s the gangs you know the gangs
well it’s the gangs you know the gangs the gangs of yes black people who are
the gangs of yes black people who are
the gangs of yes black people who are always used as the excuse to continue to
always used as the excuse to continue to
always used as the excuse to continue to harass and scrutinize every single black
harass and scrutinize every single black
harass and scrutinize every single black person that is the justification that is
person that is the justification that is
person that is the justification that is being used and so I can’t even say take
being used and so I can’t even say take
being used and so I can’t even say take away the guns from the people who are
away the guns from the people who are
away the guns from the people who are killing us I have to submit to a system
killing us I have to submit to a system
killing us I have to submit to a system where the police are allowed to have
where the police are allowed to have
where the police are allowed to have those guns where the schools are allowed
those guns where the schools are allowed
those guns where the schools are allowed to suspend and expel where the child
to suspend and expel where the child
to suspend and expel where the child welfare system is allowed to break up
welfare system is allowed to break up
welfare system is allowed to break up our families where the prison systems
our families where the prison systems
our families where the prison systems and the immigration detention systems
and the immigration detention systems
and the immigration detention systems are allowed to keep us behind bars all
are allowed to keep us behind bars all
are allowed to keep us behind bars all for the general safety all for a general
for the general safety all for a general
for the general safety all for a general sense of comfort when we say the black
sense of comfort when we say the black
sense of comfort when we say the black lives matter when we use that rallying
lives matter when we use that rallying
lives matter when we use that rallying cry to try and fight for our liberation
cry to try and fight for our liberation
cry to try and fight for our liberation you know what we are told we are told
you know what we are told we are told
you know what we are told we are told well no no all lives all lives matter
when we try to fight for our freedom we
when we try to fight for our freedom we are told that by singling out our
are told that by singling out our
are told that by singling out our blackness and making it important that
blackness and making it important that
blackness and making it important that we might even be being racist but I have
we might even be being racist but I have
we might even be being racist but I have to tell you that that is actually the
to tell you that that is actually the
to tell you that that is actually the only way black lives have
only way black lives have
only way black lives have the matter enough to be singled out and
the matter enough to be singled out and
the matter enough to be singled out and cared for and investigated not erased
cared for and investigated not erased
cared for and investigated not erased through generalization as we are so so
through generalization as we are so so
through generalization as we are so so prone to doing in these conversations
prone to doing in these conversations
prone to doing in these conversations saying all lives matter is actually a
saying all lives matter is actually a
saying all lives matter is actually a way of saying that there’s nothing truly
way of saying that there’s nothing truly
way of saying that there’s nothing truly special about being black I disagree
special about being black I disagree
special about being black I disagree we have endured a very special kind of
we have endured a very special kind of
we have endured a very special kind of Terror
Terror
Terror across centuries and yet somehow we are
across centuries and yet somehow we are
across centuries and yet somehow we are still here and more than being here and
still here and more than being here and
still here and more than being here and surviving we intend to be liberated we
surviving we intend to be liberated we
surviving we intend to be liberated we intend to thrive and to become free and
intend to thrive and to become free and
intend to thrive and to become free and safe that’s our goal
safe that’s our goal
safe that’s our goal black safety means keeping us together
black safety means keeping us together
black safety means keeping us together with our families bak safety means
with our families bak safety means
with our families bak safety means keeping us in school black safety means
keeping us in school black safety means
keeping us in school black safety means us having the right to walk our streets
us having the right to walk our streets
us having the right to walk our streets without being surveilled but it also
without being surveilled but it also
without being surveilled but it also means keeping very detailed information
means keeping very detailed information
means keeping very detailed information about how the state is treating us so
about how the state is treating us so
about how the state is treating us so that we can better understand the areas
that we can better understand the areas
that we can better understand the areas where the state is failing to protect
where the state is failing to protect
where the state is failing to protect black life but I have to be honest more
black life but I have to be honest more
black life but I have to be honest more than any of these things black safety is
than any of these things black safety is
than any of these things black safety is about non black people accepting the
about non black people accepting the
about non black people accepting the idea opening yourselves up to the
idea opening yourselves up to the
idea opening yourselves up to the possibility that we are not actually the
possibility that we are not actually the
possibility that we are not actually the most dangerous ones but that you are and
most dangerous ones but that you are and
most dangerous ones but that you are and that you always have been I would like
that you always have been I would like
that you always have been I would like to read a poem by Audrey Lorde it’s just
to read a poem by Audrey Lorde it’s just
to read a poem by Audrey Lorde it’s just the end of this poem and it’s called a
the end of this poem and it’s called a
the end of this poem and it’s called a litany for survival and when the Sun
litany for survival and when the Sun
litany for survival and when the Sun rises we are afraid it might not remain
rises we are afraid it might not remain
rises we are afraid it might not remain and when the Sun sets we are afraid it
and when the Sun sets we are afraid it
and when the Sun sets we are afraid it might not rise in the morning when our
might not rise in the morning when our
might not rise in the morning when our stomachs are full we are afraid of
stomachs are full we are afraid of
stomachs are full we are afraid of indigestion when our stomachs are empty
indigestion when our stomachs are empty
indigestion when our stomachs are empty we are afraid we may never eat again
we are afraid we may never eat again
we are afraid we may never eat again when we are loved we are afraid that
when we are loved we are afraid that
when we are loved we are afraid that love will
love will
love will finish when we are alone we are afraid
finish when we are alone we are afraid
finish when we are alone we are afraid that love will never return and when we
that love will never return and when we
that love will never return and when we speak we are afraid our words will not
speak we are afraid our words will not
speak we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed but when we are
be heard nor welcomed but when we are
be heard nor welcomed but when we are silent we are still afraid so it is
silent we are still afraid so it is
silent we are still afraid so it is better to speak remembering that we were
better to speak remembering that we were
better to speak remembering that we were never meant to survive those conferences
never meant to survive those conferences
never meant to survive those conferences theme is ellipses and I quote Audrey
theme is ellipses and I quote Audrey
theme is ellipses and I quote Audrey Lord to you because I believe that the
Lord to you because I believe that the
Lord to you because I believe that the words and the actions that we need now
words and the actions that we need now
words and the actions that we need now they come after that uncomfortable and
they come after that uncomfortable and
they come after that uncomfortable and fearful pause that we have when we have
fearful pause that we have when we have
fearful pause that we have when we have to confront anti-black racism and white
to confront anti-black racism and white
to confront anti-black racism and white supremacy once we have to accept that
supremacy once we have to accept that
supremacy once we have to accept that reality how do we keep moving how do we
reality how do we keep moving how do we
reality how do we keep moving how do we speak how do we break that silence well
speak how do we break that silence well
speak how do we break that silence well we do it with love we do it with
we do it with love we do it with
we do it with love we do it with compassion we do it with courage but I
compassion we do it with courage but I
compassion we do it with courage but I would say above all above all of these
would say above all above all of these
would say above all above all of these things we do it with a commitment to
things we do it with a commitment to
things we do it with a commitment to black life to black liberation and to
black life to black liberation and to
black life to black liberation and to black safety the only way that we as
black safety the only way that we as
black safety the only way that we as black people can get ourselves free is
black people can get ourselves free is
black people can get ourselves free is to insist on focusing specifically on
to insist on focusing specifically on
to insist on focusing specifically on our safety and that is also the mission
our safety and that is also the mission
our safety and that is also the mission of any person who claims that they want
of any person who claims that they want
of any person who claims that they want to help us get free thank you
to help us get free thank you
to help us get free thank you [Applause]
”
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