I don’t look to any of the companies for the answer because one look at their leadership team shows me exactly what I need to know about their perceptions of Black and Brown people.
I knew that this response from the NFL, Nike, adidas, Reebok were going to come because silence is deafening and they felt that they had to make a statement.
It’s a watered down statement that as a Black man with Caribbean roots they grew up with Reggae, Calypso and Hip Hop as my soundtrack I’ve heard bands, groups and artist sing, chant and wax poetic about what to expect.
Keeping my third eye open is key.
While I could sit for hours talking about how these same companies have taken from Black and Brown people, I feel that such a conversation is futile.
We have a lot of work ahead of us and while I’m tired, I know that my ancestors have paved the way for me to be here today to address these same issues that we have to deal with.
My skin may be seen as a weapon, but my soul is built on the simple premise that we all want the same things...to be loved, to give love, and to take care of our family and friends.
Again, we have a lot of work to do and I raise my hands to say that I’m ready to work and put in the work.
I’ll end here with a quote that was shared by Dr. Judy McDonnell, in 1993, a sociology professor at Bryant University, “Ignorance breeds fear, fear fuels hatred, and hatred feeds the ignorance.”
