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When I was 11, both of my parents worked night jobs. I was in charge of my 3 siblings, all younger than me, our only help was family I could call.
We had to keep the inds closed and the lights shut off after dark so no one would know we were home.
We weren't turned in 1 https://twitter.com/NaithanJones/status/1361141827475300355
We had to keep the inds closed and the lights shut off after dark so no one would know we were home.
We weren't turned in 1 https://twitter.com/NaithanJones/status/1361141827475300355
Even though our neighbors knew we were home alone.
And that is because we were all in the same situation.
We were one of a handful of light skinned people on our block, but, united in our poverty our families co-existed and lifted each other up as best we could. It wasn't 2
And that is because we were all in the same situation.
We were one of a handful of light skinned people on our block, but, united in our poverty our families co-existed and lifted each other up as best we could. It wasn't 2
Perfect. I still remember when the meth lab a few houses over blew up and burned the house down. How the neighbors husband would scream and shout and beat his wife while my step-dad was out on overnighter routes. How when we were invited to a cookout everyone was careful 3
To only take tiny amounts so everyone had plenty. How we played in trash cans filled with water because we could afford the dollar to go to the public pool. How the firemen would let the water from the hydrants run extra while we played in it. How the block rallied
Around each other when bad things happened, when the drive by shootings had everyone checking on each other at 2am, how 4th of July the whole block turned out to watch fireworks from rooftops.
And the color of our skin still separated our families because it was risky to
And the color of our skin still separated our families because it was risky to
Take a white girl to the store with your black family, and visa versa, because the cops assumed you had nabbed the kid. How we were separated us in small ways, like going to my black friends house and asking her mom to put braids and beads in my hair too and her looking at me
Like I was crazy because my hair was too foreign to her for her to know how to work with it.
And the constant fear of the police that rolled down the streets because we knew if they caught us we would never see our parents again.
As a society, we must do better.
And the constant fear of the police that rolled down the streets because we knew if they caught us we would never see our parents again.
As a society, we must do better.
Instead of playing the gotcha game and finger pointing and calling the police, how about we help each other instead?
Baby sit.
Bring food.
Offer a ride.
A place to stay.
A pair of shoes.
A warm coat.
If you aren't too busy to not mind your own business, then help them instead.
Baby sit.
Bring food.
Offer a ride.
A place to stay.
A pair of shoes.
A warm coat.
If you aren't too busy to not mind your own business, then help them instead.
