I’m an American Too

As I lay in bed curled up next to my wife I can’t help but think how blessed I am. I’m fortunate enough to spend my days with someone who loves and cherishes me. I’m fortunate enough to have not one but two jobs working with people who surround me with so much love and acceptance. I’m fortunate enough to have a diverse group of friends who accept me for who I am. My life isn’t easy but I’m blessed. I see all this hatred and violence in the world around me and I continue to count my blessings because it could be me being pulled over and harassed or maybe even killed. It could be me being buried for my lifestyle. It could be me who harmed myself because I’m not accepted or because I’m not good enough. I look around and see all that’s going on and can’t help but think that I’m one of the lucky ones. Not everyone has it this good. My life isn’t all peaches and cream but looking at the bigger picture I don’t have room to complain.

I get so tired of scrolling down my timeline and seeing another black man being gunned down. Another black man being arrested for this or that. I get so tired of seeing my people being torn down and kicked and dragged for trying to achieve the same thing as everyone else. We just wanna live! We just want to love! We just want to be all we can be for ourselves and our families. When you look at us know we are not animals. We are not some unknown species. We are humans with hearts like yours, minds like yours, and red blood just like yours. We live In a country that’s supposed to be home of the free yet the only freedom we have is to still feel enslaved by every single mind that does think we should be equal. Look at my brown skin, my dark brown eyes, thick unruly hair, and my long name that doesn’t really have a meaning. Attached to all that is a beautiful soul that you won’t ever get to know because you prejudge me before taking the time to know me. Attached to that name is an American social security number identifying me as one of the millions born on this so called free soil.

Before you judge me, before you make up your mind not to like me. Learn my story. Know my struggle. I bleed red and I cry real tears. I don’t expect you to make life easy for me or make me superior to anyone I expect you to give me a fair chance to succeed in life. I expect you to treat me like a human. I expect you to treat me the way you’d like me to treat you. Because at the end of the day I’m so much more than just another black person. I’m an American too.