Real with Rue

Is it every month trauma

I think looking through the year as a black person, it’s been traumatic, repetitive and draining. Besides having my own personal battles, I’ve had to watch the issues which are faced by my own community each month. Which in all honesty, I don’t believe the AME (in BAME) can truly understand. Firstly, the deaths from people we looked up to (Kobe), our my age mates being murdered to George Floyd and so on. It get’s to a point where you try to pretend its not happening, just because of how bleak everything is right now.

BLM Movement

I look back at the height of the BLM movement, filled with empty promises of pledges and black squares. I consider how quickly people have ‘moved on’ from everything that happened. To me, it makes it appear like Black trauma is fleeting moments in society. At the same time, they act as great public opportunities for companies, celebrities and individuals to be seen as ‘on the right side of history’.

I don’t believe you can truly ever end racism by posting a black square, but through the small physical actions.For me, (as the only person I can speak for), I prefer the actions I can’t see, such as correcting family members and educating them with facts. If you lack wisdom to understand and empathise with someone, I’m really not sure how you will manage relationships with others.

I cannot speak for all Black people, but one thing I can say is, we don’t care about a road being called ‘BLM Road.’ Black people are fighting to be seen as people and certain individuals have the power to change that and don’t.

Africa v Corruption

I think the most painful part is looking and realising that even back home Black lives don’t really matter. The police brutality is not even just in the diaspora, but in our own countries such as ENDSARS, Zimbabwe and Uganda. Then add the exploitation of children in Congo, and the entitlement people feel to African resources. For many of us, watching through social media the pain and anger of other’s experiences realising that, without God’s grace of being born into my family, this could have been reality.

It’s also important to look after your mental health as it can be difficult and draining at times. Often, the feeling of helpless overwhelmed me, but as a christian I had to use the strongest weapon I had, which was prayer.

One thing I always remind myself is how far we’ve come, despite everything adversity that we have faced. The talent, the excellence and even the simple everyday joys of being a black person are important to celebrate in hard times.

Its been real,

Rue x