This month, BlogHer established a theme of HEALING for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo), under the premise that “America needs to heal after the events of Ferguson, Missouri.” On August 9th, 2014, a police officer in that Ferguson gunned down and killed an 18 year-old, unarmed black male teen, sparking outrage and protest around the nation. The county autopsy shows the cop inflicted Brown with six gunshot wounds to the head and chest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has opened a civil rights investigation related to the shooting.
My daily articles this September will focus on healing for the most part – in keeping with the theme. I can tell you outright that I will never fully heal from the murder of Michael Brown. This case of yet another unarmed black male killed by a police officer just reminds me that I’m always making progress in the midst of heartbreak. Finding joy – in the midst of heartbreak. Pushing forward – in the midst of heartbreak. Under the weight of anxiety for my own two sons and the rest of our sons. I build them up, and fight for them in the midst of heartbreak. In battle mode even when I’m resting. Never healing, because every week it’s the same damn thing.
I do pray for healing for the Brown family, and for other families whose sons, daughters, fathers, brothers, uncles, etc, killed at the hands of rogue authority figures in uniform, and otherwise. It’s just nearly impossible to heal when every shooting, every unjust arrest on racial profiling, every murder, every case of railroading, and every case wherein the justice system fails the victim reminds us of our gaping wounds.
I have two sons. I have anxiety. I’m heartbroken. I’ll be writing to affect change, and spark dialogue for now. Oh, this month, I’ll write about being an empty nester too. I have more time on my hands to join grassroots efforts.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. If you have thoughts on healing, the Michael Brown case, or anything related, feel free to chime in.
Categories: Blogging, Inspiration, NaBloPoMo
Should I Abandon the Challenge? 
We Are All Products — of Time, Circumstances, and History 
Me On Perfectionism 
My Female Persuasion 
I hope that we can heal as a nation. I have 3 children and I would by devastated if this happened to one of them.
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I’m often called an optimist, but i think we’re a long ways off from healing. The perpetrators are rarely held accountable or brought to justice, and similar situations keep playing out over and over again.
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A bleak version of Groundhog Day. But in my heart, I think we will move forward one step at a time. It starts with accountability, and supported by every child being brought up color blind. It will happen.
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there has been like 6 police killing unarmed black people in the last three weeks. It’s open season right now. I just say a video of a cop beating up a grandmother on the side of the road.
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Definitely open season. I can’t even click on the videos anymore. Didn’t watch Ferguson coverage.
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thank you for putting your voice out there about this as a mother of two boys. also I think your blog is a great idea and a needed source for women. I think many young woman suffer from confusion due to media (music videos, movies, and TV) as to what it means to be a woman, and what it means to be truly loved by a man, and its a voice we really need from women to women. maybe we can talk about this idea later ’cause its something very near and dear to my heart also. anyway thank you again for visiting!! tweeting this now 🙂
PS – I love Kelly Price’s beautiful voice. seriously sooo nice. do you remember her song with Mary J Blige on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack??
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Thank you for reading! And thanks for the compliment. Most of the time I think twice about sharing these post, but I go back and read my own advice from time to time. Your voice and perspective is equally important. Re: soundtrack, I played it a LOT back in the day. Her voice is beautiful.
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The shooting of Michael Brown reminds me of a show I listened to on NPR around the time Travon Martin was shot. An African American woman was discussing how she was raised and how she raised her sons. She discussed telling them to never stand around a store or walk into a store without buying something. She told them to always carry their purchase in a bag to carry out. I remember thinking how crazy that sounded as I have never thought twice about buying something small, saying I don’t need a bag and putting that something in my purse.
I don’t think there is a way for me to understand it all. All I know is that it’s was wrong and that it’s terrifying this will probably not be the last young man to die this way. I do hope we can heal though. I hope this nation can have a serious, open discussion about the societal influences that lead to this kind of thing.
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I understand exactly where she was coming from. Its stressful having to have those conversations with your kids all the time. But it’s reality. I’m hopeful too.
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