Dear Tatiana,
What happened to your father at Fruitvale Station was wrong and was the result of unconscious and conscious biases of minorities and in this case of a black male. It is often assumed that a minority male on a late night is up to no good and when police are challenged and confronted with their own biases, they unfortunately have the "authority" via weapons to harm the vulnerable and unarmed. And many times when they make the decision to use their authority and power needlessly, people get hurt.
Lots of things happen in our lives that we don't understand, that we can't understand and may never be able to comprehend. I'm sure you were hurt, saddened and confused when you first found out that your father was shot dead by a policeman. You may have even blamed God for taking your father away from you, and that is natural. My mother died my freshman year of high school and that was a hard pill to swallow. She was only in her early 30s and my brothers were still very young and I couldn't understand why God had to take her away from us so soon, but eventually it made me stronger.
Knowing that she is in a better place with no more plan, suffering, depression and sorrow. Your father and my mother are both at peace and I'd like to believe that they are smiling down at us both rooting for us to be more successful and loving to the world, then they could. To show the world that Latina and Black women are by no means weak, or ignorant, but we are brave and smart and strong! That we can endure heartache and pain and rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
You are a beautiful girl, with lots of potential...more than you know. Because of your father's story, you have the ability to make the world stand on its toes when you speak! You have the power to make people see the wrongfulness in police brutality and the danger of racial profiling. You have the power to show the world that pain does not have to break you, but it can make you stronger and not only that, also more determined to help other people in the same/similar situations.
I will say that I am so glad that in the last several years film writers and producers have seen the need for people to know their history and know THE TRUTH, with movies like Fruitvale Station, Freedom Writers, American Violet, Red Tails, Lincoln, The Butler and many others, we have shed light on this country's continued failure to look past (the master statues of) race, gender, class and socioeconomic status both in the past and in the present, instead of accepting a person as they are and realizing that our environments mould us into who we are. We don't get to choose who we are birthed to, how much money we're birthed into and what neighborhood. Americans must do better!
Watching people ridicule the President because of his race and disguise it by saying that he's destroyed or done nothing for this country is not solving the problems that still stand and those people should be ashamed! How are they any better for ridiculing rather than getting off of their butts and doing something to fix lack of jobs, lack of health care, lack of quality public education?! Truth is, many don't care unless if affects them directly.
Girl we've got to show these people that's it's so much more to life than the master statuses, but it's about showing more love. Treating people how you want to be treated. Though we may want to, we can't fight the fire with more fire or fuel, but we must fight it with water! With peace and with love. We must strive to exemplify the lives of figures like Ghandi, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. And look at their children now...division amongst MLK's children because of disagreement in relation to their father's legacy...Nelson Mandela's children and grandchildren fighting over where he should be buried (mainly because money is involved). Have we really come to this in only a couple generations? Have we really become so vain? Have we completely lost sight of the visions of our forefathers? I say that our generation has not and we've had enough!
It won't happen overnight, but it will happen. This is only the beginning! As 21st century minorities we must find our own voice! We must find our peaceful rebellious voice to tell all these old conservatives (on the left and right)...NO! You are not practicing the equality and justice that you preach about, so go have a seat. Where is the equality, the peace and the justice? We see it nowhere, count case after court case and murder after murder left unpunished continue to show us that our elders have not respect, no love and no sense of empathy for our suffering! And no, I am not being over the top or dramatic, because enough is ENOUGH! Kindness is dwindling and more selfishness and hatred is arising. We must recreate a movement powerful as, if not more than the Civil Rights Movement...and create a moment of peace and hope in time that will make the world stop and pay attention, like Woodstock (1969)! Most people are tryign to say that we are in a post-racial era, but it seems to me that things are only getting worse.
Tatiana, this is quite a heavy letter for you at your age, but keep this letter and read it over and over again as the years go by. Ask your teachers and loved ones to help interpret this letter for you and you will understand when the time comes the power you have within you! I love you. Be strong.
With Love (Your Big Sis),
Yasmine
