On Sept. 23, a Kentucky grand jury released a decision regarding the responsibility of the three officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. The jury indicted officer Brett Hankison for wanton endangerment and acquitted the other two officers involved, arguing that all three officers were “justified in their use of force” against 26-year-old Breonna Taylor. According to the verdict, the only thing officer Hankins did wrong was shooting through the walls and endangering the neighboring apartments.
This decision has sparked massive protests in Louisville, Kentucky and throughout the U.S. Protests even took place here in downtown Raleigh on Sat. 26. How do we, as students, show our support and outrage over the injustices done to Breonna Taylor if we can’t go to the protests though?
Ever since the release of the Breonna Taylor decision, I have felt a sense of pressure to go out and protest. However, protesting is not the only valid way to fight against inequalities though and it may not be the best option for you personally. This does not mean you care any less about the racial injustices taking place.
Not everyone is comfortable attending protests because of the potential exposure to COVID-19 or the fears of getting caught up in a violent situation. College students like us are in a particularly precarious situation because of possible ramifications on our futures if we go to a protest. For example, going to a protest could potentially lead to deportation for international students and the possibilities of getting arrested could result in students losing their scholarships and being unable to continue their education at NC State.
So what do you do?
If you are scared of going to a protest because of COVID-19, there is always the option to stick to the edges of the protest. This will give you more control over your ability to social distance and, therefore, minimizes your exposure. In addition, the usual recommendations of wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and trying to avoid touching things will also help decrease the chances of you contracting COVID-19 during a protest.
Social media is a great way to show your support if you cannot go to a protest though. Spreading the information someone else might need to either educate or organize themselves makes a huge difference. If you see a post about a protest or a legal decision regarding racial inequality, then repost it. By making a conscious effort to spread accurate information, you are working to stop ignorance and empower others to action.
Another way to show your support is to give back. There are many different fundraisers you could donate to and petitions you can sign in order to help make a difference. Some fundraisers may go directly to Breonna Taylor’s family in order to help them pay for legal fees associated with fighting for justice. Other fundraisers aim at addressing specific issues of racial inequality, such as directing funds for police-reform organizations and bonding protesters out of jail.
No matter which way you choose to fight inequality, there is one thing we all need to do. Most people like me have never faced the discrimination or brutality that victims of racial inequality have and will never understand the struggles they face because we have the privilege of being white. The only way for people like us to understand what actions need to be taken and why is by listening to and sharing the stories of our peers and victims of racial inequality.
It’s OK not to know how to act right away. We are all processing and trying to figure out how to fight against these inequalities with the resources we have, but it is not OK to use this as an excuse to stop listening or stop passing the story of our peers and victims of racial inequalities along in order to help end the ignorance that is fueling these situations. As students, we need to understand that even the smallest actions, like listening and not dismissing the stories of others, can lead to increments of change, and there are hundreds of other ways to fight against the inequalities besides protesting. We just have to start participating in any way we can because the fight against inequality is everyone’s fight.
