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Our friends at the Black Youth Project have been covering the events in Ferguson, MO closely, helping their readers put the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in the context of ongoing police violence against young black people.
Below is an excerpt from an essay by Amari Rene, who says that beyond the publicized looting, she sees young people claiming their humanity. For the full essay, see here.
As I was walking down the streets of Ferguson, where the majority are gathered in protest, my awareness of their sense of loss was very heightened. I could see and feel the pain in their spirits. I knew that almost every young person out there had experienced the death of either a friend, brother, cousin, uncle, father or perhaps a mother. And their protest was for the loved ones that they have lost or fear losing. Their protest was to restore their own humanity. It is difficult to know what life is when the fear of death is always at your door. It is difficult to know what love is, when you don’t know which one of your brothers is your enemy. But on this night, we were one. We were whole. We were a people thousands strong. And it was the most beautiful display of togetherness of all people, headed by young black people.