Last night, my good friend and colleague Dr Fatoumata Jatta posted on Facebook, without any links or images:
“Why doesn’t it hurt you as much as it hurts us?”
She was referring to the recent killing of George Floyd; to the attempted baiting of Christian Cooper; to the relentless stories of brazen acts against African-Americans; and to the relative silence on social media of those who are privileged enough not to feel: ‘that could have been me’.
So this post is just to let our friends – and anyone else who feels angry or afraid due to endemic discrimination, whether it’s racism, homophobia, sexism, or religious intolerance – that you are not alone.
It’s painful to see these stories, and it’s painful to know how much they hurt you.
I hope that bearing witness may be of some comfort, and in some small way contributes to change for the better.
