2020 started off like any other year. I barely made it to midnight before sleep set in. I listened to people shooting as the New Year rolled in. I had no idea of what was to come for the new year. What happened shook me to my core. The world seemed to have turned on its axis and every sci-fi, drama, murder-mystery movie plot came to life. In a nutshell here is a recap of the first half of 2020:
- Wildfires ran rampant in Australia losing homes and wildlife
- Our current sitting President was impeached
- The U.S. killed a Iranian general via a drone strike
- The WHO is notified of the novel coronavirus
- Prince Harry and Meaghan Markle walk away from the Royal Family
- Kobe and Gigi Bryant die in a helicopter crash
- The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union
- The Iowa caucus was a total failure
- The President is acquitted by the Senate on article of impeachment
- Harvey Weinstein found guilty of rape
- More Democrats than can be counted join and drop out to the Democratic Race for the Presidential nomination
The list goes on and on, by March the world was in the midst of a full fledge pandemic. Schools and businesses were forced to close to reduce the spread. Parents were forced to school their children from home and schools were forced to pivot on a moments notice to finish out the rest of the school year. In the midst of a pandemic, the world witnessed multiple instances of racially motivated attacks, the worst example being the public lynching of George Floyd. In the wake of his death, the world was called to action to protest against the inequalities and violence committed against Black Americans. The world was put on notice that the United States was not the Land of the Free that it touts to be. As a parent my world was shaken to the core. I was aware that Black men were being hunted for multiple decades; however seeing the life leave from George Floyd affecting me in away that I had never experienced before. I have a husband, a brother, a father and two black sons. How am I going to do my part to make sure they don’t become another statistic. Being the primary caretaker for my sons, I knew that I could not march with the masses, but I have my gift of words that I could use to raise awareness and have the uncomfortable conversations that have been neglected and avoided. This birthed the idea of M.O.B.B Talk. I know that I am not the only mother that feels the fear of the world and what that means for their black son, so it is my hope that this blog and subsequent podcast will form a community to support and propel positive change. It is my desire that my sons will grow up to be men that will be seen as human beings and not menaces to society.
M.O.B.B (Mothers of Black Boys) Talk 