A Blog Entry For When A Social Media Post About Oppression Is Not Enough

Dear Reader,

I wish I could be welcoming you into a new month. Welcoming you into a new week. Welcoming you to the half way mark of 2020. Instead I wanted to use this platform, a platform that I created for myself to write about entertainment news to get some thoughts out on what’s been going on. I’ve been struggling to find the correct words to express what I’m feeling because it’s a lot and I don’t know how to articulate it, but I’ll try.

Last week another Black man, named George Floyd, was killed by a White cop. It happened in Minneapolis and like many of these crimes was caught on tape. Outrage usually erupts when another Black person becomes a hashtag because of police violence and things like Black Lives Matter and “Donate to…” becomes even more of a trending conversation on social media, but this death hit different. This death was truly the tip of the iceberg that sparked first a city then a nation wide hell storm including peaceful and not so peaceful protests.

Seeing things on the news is one thing, but getting to experience it firsthand creates a completely different emotion. I live in Philly and have been lucky enough to continue working as an essential worker during the pandemic. I work in the Center City section of Philly and seeing the aftermath of the looting up close was truly shocking. Seeing people looting in passing throughout the weekend was mind blowing. Yes things can be fixed and replaced but the violation is still there. Lives have been taken, Black lives have been taken for far too long at the hand of White oppressors who continue to get away with it and it is heartbreaking, but I don’t and will never understand the looting side of “protesting.” Raise hell. It’s your right, but not at the expense of hurting yourself and your community. I found myself getting more and more anxious being out working last night thinking about the possibility of my dad and I getting pulled over by being out after curfew and what I would need to do to not be posed as a threat or be confused as a looter. These are things Black people shouldn’t have to think about and it shamefully has been the reality of America for years. I’m scared. I’m sad. I’m frustrated.

So now what? What happens at this point when literally the shit has hit the fan? I don’t know the answer to that. I do know election day is tomorrow in Pennsylvania and getting your voice heard in the government is more vital than ever. I do know nothing bad lasts forever and resilience is needed right now. I do know little acts of kindness go a long way and I do know those who seek God in prayer will find solace.

I pray George Floyd and the countless other Black names we know and don’t know get the justice they so deserve. Their lives were worth something. Their lives mattered. I pray for a miracle that can break the cycle of systematic racism that is so deeply rooted in the country and I pray we can all find peace during this time. It’s OK to take a break from the constant updates. It’s OK to speak up on the things that are bothering you. It’s OK to NOT be OK right now.

In the wake of the current state of the world Glambergirlblog will be on hiatus indefinitely. It doesn’t seem right to write about anything entertainment related and to be honest I don’t care about anything that’s happening in the entertainment world right now. There are more things that are important than movie updates, film reviews, and who just got cast for what. Stay safe, protect your peace, and I’ll be back in a boo.

-XO Amber