I've written and re-written this post many, many times. Every time I've written something to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, it felt insincere and performative. I hope I can convey to my readers, followers, & students that this truly is from my heart.
I’m so angry by the deaths of George Floyd, Riah Milton, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many more at the hands of police brutality and systemic racism. I’m infuriated by how the black community is treated in this country.
Last year an acquaintance of mine had the police called on her for an alleged burglary even though all she was doing was eating breakfast and working in her home. I won’t summarize her experience and feelings; instead, you can read her words and support her YouTube channel. Please check out her song “Rise.”
Police brutality and racism is a fucking problem in my area. Hearing about how my local police have treated my friend's black son over the years makes me so angry. Am I surprised? No. Our police department has a reputation for excessive force, exemplified by a viral video from 2015 of an officer pulling his gun on a citizen simply because the citizen was on his driveway attaching his boat to his SUV. About two weeks ago I left an angry voicemail demanding a nearby PD to hold a police officer accountable for throwing a sting-ball grenade at a peaceful protester's face (and nothing’s happened to that officer yet as of 6/14/20, so yeah, fuck you ***** **** PD!)
As a Filipina American, I grew up being told that pale skin is beautiful and my family would shame me if I got any darker. My relatives always gave me this super popular papaya soap to "help lighten my complexion." I was told that it was ok to say the n-word because our black friends gave Filipinx kids "the pass.” I grew up with my relatives openly disliking black people all the while embracing black culture. With these experiences and growing up in a predominantly white city, I may not easily identify the inherent biases I have within me even though I have tried to rise above the anti-blackness of my culture and my environment.
In various drafts of my posts, I've made lists of black voices to follow in scicomm and specifically cosmetic chemistry, but that didn’t feel engaging enough. So I want to listen more: What is the best way I can amplify your voice in scicomm and cosmetic chemistry? Feature your blog/brand with an Instagram or blog post? Purchase your product(s) and do an honest, scientific review of it? Interview you about your experience in the industry? Simply make a list of black voices and brands to follow?
Aside from this, I'll continue to self-educate, reflect on my anti-racism journey, and donate my time and money while I am still trying to figure out concrete steps to do my part in dismantling systemic racism and be a better ally.
Standing in solidarity,
Mica