Andrea Lawful-Trainer pleads with Philadelphians to not let Darrin Manning’s suffering be in vain.
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The first time I heard the name Darrin Manning was from a friend who inquired if I was up-to-date on the controversy.
After reading an article detailing the alleged events I was stunned. I sat like a zombie for hours and no matter how hard I tried, I could NOT get my thoughts together. I was out of it the entire day.
Later that evening I had to teach a parent advocacy class and as I stood to begin to address the class, I shared Darrin’s story. In the midst of me talking, in a room filled with people, I busted into tears and sobbed uncontrollably.
It was a great lesson for the students and a reminder for me that my sons, our sons—black and brown boys in this country—have targets on their backs, and the very people who took an oath to protect and serve them are the ones doing the hunting—with no consequence. For us as parents of black boys what’s left are the rules—spoken and unspoken—on how to stay alive. And oh by the way, the kicker is we are told to be happy and productive; to not get angry in the process … Can we cut the crap here?
As a mother of two black sons—one of whom was targeted by racist cops in the county where we reside—trust me when I say that the only way we’ll get answers, or any kind of change, is if we have folks constantly shining the spotlight on the roaches of injustice and keeping the pressure on corrupt officials until it hurts. The excruciating pain—mentally and physically—that Darrin Manning had to endure should not be in vain.
If you want to do something, start making silent moves that will have big impact. Or speak up and speak out; record the actions of the rogue among us; build an army of victims that will NOT be ignored!
It’s important to be intentional in those changes and not just be another noise maker. Show up where and whenever needed. But now that sitting in your living room or shaking your head on social media is not productive. This battle requires real actions and bold steps beyond our comfort zones. Help protect other young black men who may find themselves in similar altercation with rogue police…do something!!
Change happens when we see our fears and work through them anyway. All of our sons are Darrin Manning… all of them! Please do let his journey be in vain.
Thanks for reading the thoughtful musings of a DIVA!™
Source: TBO Inc®
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