Category: Personal

We Cannot Remain Silent About George Floyd

Examining the historic protests in America over police brutality and racially charged violence.

@LGNWVRPHTO / Instagram – The death of George Floyd, a son, a brother, a father, and a friend, has galvanized a global activist movement against racial injustice and police brutality.

“Please, I can’t breathe.”

Those final, fateful words of George Floyd have echoed across the schisms of a divided America for the past two weeks.

On May 25, Minneapolis Police officers arrested George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, after a store clerk dialed 911, accusing him of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. In seventeen minutes after the first squad car arrived at the scene, Mr. Floyd was unconscious beneath three police officers, with no discernable pulse.

For 8 minutes and 46 seconds, a white police officer named Derek Chauvin dug his knee on Floyd’s neck until the life drained from his body. Implausibly, Chauvin persisted to kneel on George Floyd’s neck for a full minute after paramedics arrived, despite Floyd remaining unresponsive.

Even after mercifully calling out to his late mother and repeating, “I can’t breathe,” George Floyd lost his life. His story an unfinished canvas destined to never be fully realized with elaborative strokes of color and definition.

Of Their Own Accord

@AYY.BEE / Instagram – A portrait of George Floyd from Adrian Brandon’s #StolenSeries. For every year of life lived, a minute of graphite and ink is applied to the portrait (i.e., 46 years lived = 46 minutes of color).

As you may know, this appalling turn of events compelled the nation into a state of caustic self-reckoning; however, let this be clear:

We are not only stunned by the brutal and tragic murder of George Floyd…

We are not only shocked by the undeniable evidence of systematic racism and excessive use of force that were virtually documented before our very eyes…

We are incensed because we heard those familiar, haunting words before.

And yet here we are, caught in an ever-perpetuating cycle of racially charged violence and police brutality.

Another Black person dying at the hands of the police, pleading, “I can’t breathe.”

Therefore, with the looming specter of systemic racial injustice taking center stage once again, let it be known:

We cannot stay silent on George Floyd.

Language of the Unheard

In a campaign for racial justice both years and decades in the making, the man murdered by Minneapolis Police immediately became a national symbol of the need for police accountability.

In other words, the heinous murder of George Floyd has galvanized millions of people to give voice to the grief and anger wrought by corrupted systems of racial injustice and white supremacy onto countless generations of Black Americans.

Demonstrations and protests unprecedented in scale have erupted throughout all fifty US states and even internationally, thereby establishing one of the largest multicultural activist movements in world history.

Video / Twitter – Thousands turn out for peaceful demonstrations in support of #BlackLivesMatter across Los Angeles.

Notably, the George Floyd protests have unfolded into a historical multicultural movement that has mobilized a significant population of non-blacks who have not spoken out before.

People from all races and all walks of life are educating themselves online, signing petitions, and attending protests where they get to listen to first-hand stories of the oppressed who experience racism on a daily basis.

Young and old, black and white, family and friends, Batman and Joker; an entire legion of Americans are beginning to realize that after so many promises to reform the system have come and gone, enough is enough.

Video / Twitter – The George Floyd protests have mobilized the masses to call for law enforcement reform, even drawing the ire of the Dark Knight himself.

From Bad to Worse

Image in "We Cannot Remain Silent About George Floyd" post

Image / Joseph Ngabo – Tensions are discernibly high as the relatively peaceful Los Angeles protestors confront the abrupt escalation manufactured in part by law enforcement.

American society is unfortunately founded on an unforgiving racial hierarchy; in accordance, police departments are called upon to enforce a system of laws that are designed to reinforce and preserve economic and racial inequality.

Therefore, despite efforts to reassure the sanctity and safety of peaceful assembly, to oppose the status quo inevitably means incurring the wrath of those who are asked to protect it.

In the midst of the mass protests that began in Minneapolis and have swelled to dozens of American cities, there have been hundreds of arrests, curfews declared, and National Guard troops summoned.

Ironically, the very same public demonstrations aimed at protesting unrelenting police violence have faced daunting bouts of police brutality themselves, making an already heartbreaking situation even worse.

A fever of social media regrettably documents officers beating unarmed protestors, ramming squad cars into demonstrators, indiscriminately using pepper spray on bystanders, and causing life-threatening injuries with “less lethal” bean-bag rounds.

City officials attempted to justify the abrupt escalation perpetuated by law enforcement by asserting that the officers were merely responding to suspected cases of looting which has become prevalent amidst some rioting. However, even law enforcement leadership understood that the use of excessive force is “never acceptable,” and police departments have made sure to discipline officers for any misconduct.

Nonetheless, we still have a President who is not shy in invoking a loaded, racist threat by tweeting, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

In the face of coping with a President whose very existence is composed of rhetoric that is deliberately divisive, as well as grappling with the wrenching uncertainty of the prevalent COVID-19 pandemic, a long road ahead is certainly assured for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Rose that Grew From Concrete

In the haze of civil unrest, the political and social ramifications of the George Floyd protests are beginning to emerge from allegorical obscurity.

A myriad of countries and states such as New York, Florida, and California are passing legislation restricting police use of force (e.g., banning the usage of neck restraints). In addition, many city officials are embracing proposed budget cuts to their respective police departments.

Remarkably, Minneapolis city council officials pledged to defund and dismantle the city’s police department. As a result, a new model of public safety will soon be implemented to keep communities safe following the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.

Although it remains to be seen how such a novel approach to public safety and emergency response would function, there appears to be a consensus that the role of police would ultimately be diminished. For instance, these plans may permit social workers, mental health providers, and other community members to potentially handle many of the nonviolent situations that police currently deal with.

Back on Capitol Hill, Democrats have unveiled a sweeping police reform bill targeting police misconduct and racial bias, a measure that figures to be the most expansive intervention into policing in recent memory. Senate Republicans are now also working on legislation to address police reform, a reconciliation that would have been unheard of merely a few weeks ago.

Even ‘Cops,’ a TV show that has remained on the air for a whopping 33 seasons, has been canceled for its glorification of police officers.

As for the George Floyd case itself, the public outcry has caused all four officers to be charged to the fullest extent of the law, setting forth a powerful precedent for police accountability.

Black Lives Matter, a campaign that has long endeavored to establish a world free of anti-Blackness by highlighting the depth of injustice and unaccountability that American society harbors toward people of color, is absolutely generating an indispensable statement.

Make no mistake, Black Lives Matter has fundamentally transformed from a hashtag-powered rallying cry to a national mantra that cannot nor will not be ignored in every facet of modern American life.

For all the pain and loss incurred, the wake of George Floyd’s death has cultivated a powerful catalyst that can pave the way for meaningful, expansive change.

Tip of the Spear

Graphic / Campaign Zero – A visual presentation of a list of policy solutions that aims to reduce the frequency and severity of police violence in our communities.

For the aforementioned ‘meaningful, expansive change’ to materialize, the George Floyd protests have concentrated their efforts into bringing about systemic transformation. A transformation that will hold law enforcement accountable for the violence they inflict, a transformation that will eradicate a racist system that breeds corruption, and a call for radical, sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives.

It is time to rethink qualified immunity. The legal doctrine of qualified immunity protects police officers from civil lawsuits (i.e., provides immunity from having to go through the costs of trial) by shielding officers from liability for all actions taken on the job except for those that violate ‘clearly established’ law.

Permitting police to freely perform their duties without fear of being held accountable has enabled a culture of violence and abuse responsible for the deaths of victims like George Floyd.

To illustrate, a database from Mapping Police Violence detailed a whopping 99% of police killings from 2013-2019 have not resulted in officers being charged with a crime, grossly showcasing the existing disparity in police accountability.

Thusly, an antiquated get-out-of-jail-free card for murdering people of color makes a mockery of the criminal justice system and it will NOT stand.

On the other hand, a plethora of research has indicated how police practices and training also have to be re-evaluated to foster significant police reform.

For example, the Police Use of Force Project found that those police departments with policies that place clear restrictions on when and how officers use force had significantly fewer killings than those that did not have these restrictions in place. Furthermore, the study also found that officers in police departments with more restrictive policies in place are actually less likely to be assaulted, conveying how even law enforcement itself can benefit from police reform.

As Black Lives Matter activists call for the defunding of police, there is a common misconception surrounding what the concept actually entails. The concept to defund the police exists on a spectrum and does not necessarily mean to strip police funding and dissolve departments (although some activists are certainly calling for it).

Rather, defunding the police means to divest from the violent policing infrastructure (potentially resulting in fewer cops) and reinvesting those funds into strengthening Black and Brown communities.

In cities like Charlottesville and Los Angeles, police department funding accounts for an astronomical proportion of the city budget, which dwarves those for education, housing, and other vital services.

By cutting police spending, those reallocated funds will be put back into social services such as mental health, domestic violence, and homelessness as well as aid the funding of hospital equipment and youth initiatives. Ideally, such an initiative to invest in resource-deficient communities will effectively reduce crime on its own.

Do Not Go Gentle

What is truly astounding about the George Floyd protests is that there is no distinct leader powering the movement; there is just the implicit belief that everyone’s voice matters.

Yet, it does not mean that Black Lives Matter is a rudderless movement. On the contrary, with the power of social media as a digital playbook, the collective majority now possess the means to stand against systemic oppression in ways prior generations could not before.

In the age of social media, everyone has a platform where they can actively amplify their voices and let themselves be heard in the fight for justice and equality. Therefore, to remain silent is to deprive your social spheres of the opportunity to hold meaningful reflection and foster discussion about what police reform and Black Lives Matter means to them.

And we shouldn’t stay silent.

Not when we currently live in a country where Black lives are systematically targeted for demise.

Not when the color of your skin can get you killed just for jogging, buying groceries, being homeless, wearing a hoodie at night, enjoying ice cream in your own living room, and even sleeping in your own bed.

Not when thousands upon thousands of protestors are risking their lives and bodies for a chance at being heard in the middle of a deadly pandemic.

We must remember that the soul of America has always been in political revolution. To remain resilient in the face of deadly oppression is the reason why we call the United States our home.

Be that as it may, this country has its share of troubling failures. For that reason, we must also confront the still-present legacy of slavery in America: systemic racism.

To fight against such engrained systemic racism in American society will certainly involve more than just posting black squares on your Instagrams. Our collective voices must maintain a consistent story, a story that advocates for racial justice at every conceivable opportunity.

Some have chosen to donate time and money to Black organizations and businesses; some have decided to offer free healthcare to the protestors on the front lines; others have pledged to work pro-bono to represent those arrested.

Whatever you choose to do, just remember that there is no magic solution. Only education and action will enable a more fair and just America that we have never known in our lifetimes.

Just remember that we can never remain silent about George Floyd.

Progress can be a painful and unforgiving process. Still, a reckoning is long overdue.

To learn more about how you can support Black Lives Matter, visit: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co

National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/

Know Your Rights Camp: https://knowyourrightscamp.com/

Campaign Zero: https://www.joincampaignzero.org/

Police Brutality Spreadsheet

(Warning: Some videos and images contain scenes of graphic violence)

Say Their Names:

Ahmaud Arbery Sean Bell Rumain Brisbon Philando Castille William Chapman Keith Childress Jr. Stephon Clark John Crawford III Johnathan Ferrell George Floyd Ezell Ford Eric Garner Brendon Glenn Oscar Grant Freddie Gray Kimani Gray Akai Gurley Botham Jean Atatiana Jefferson Bettie Jones Trayvon Martin Kendrec Mcdade Natasha Mckenna Eric Reason Tamir Rice Tony Robinson Jr. Jonathan Sanders Walter Scott Alton Sterling Breonna Taylor

The Importance of Being Sound: 5 Ways to Blow Off Some Steam

You wake up in a sweaty panic because you realize you overslept for that job interview you were really thrilled about (probably because your phone, the modern alarm clock, didn’t properly charge last night).

To collect yourself, you start up a steamy shower that you so desperately needed, only for the hot water to run out halfway through.

Then, after you get out of your “polar bear certified” shower, you discover that one of your old college roommates resurfaced a video set during those weird days you thought you can rap like Busta Rhymes (why of all things did THAT go viral?)

In agony, you just accidentally spilled coffee on your favorite shirt (you know, the one that says “I ♥ NY” even though you have never experienced the traditional Big Apple smell of “God knows what from God knows when”).

And for all your troubles at home, you decide to take a relaxing drive around town with your newly washed car (laughs in Los Angeles gas prices). Alas, you soon realize that your sweet, little bird friends did their best effort to repaint your car white (its their way of showing you they care).

Being human (and therefore being inherently flawed), we are prone to being trapped in our minds from time to time.

That especially goes on days when you try your best, but you don’t succeed and when you get what you want, but not want you need (Coldplay, I love you).

Sometimes life can get a little overwhelming, and on those days when we just can’t win, we need to adequately process and outlet some of the difficult emotions we harbor inside.

As there are many approaches in which one can exercise mindfulness, I will present some of the positive outlets that are very effective in helping me both cope and roll with the punches that life can deliver.

So let’s blow off some steam:

1. “Just keep [writing], just keep [writing]!” – Dory, probably

An example of a journal entry, directly adapted from Childish Gambino’s open letter.

Ever since a high school therapist recommended this personal routine to me, I have kept a private journal and never thought twice about it (yes, that was back in 2010. Yes, I am getting old. Yes, I am a 24-year-old Latino male keeping a glorified diary).

But hear me out: to this day, I have not found a more effective method in consoling and reorienting my mind.

There is just something so therapeutic in writing down all those eluding thoughts, emotions and feelings in my head onto something tangible. That way, once it is on paper, I won’t have any need to provide further attention to those feelings and thoughts anymore.

Indeed, clearing that head space is pivotal because it grants you the sense of clarity to think about “the bigger picture” surrounding your life’s events.

Making a habit out of journaling helps you process those complicated emotions; this, in turn, will grant you the objectivity to fight off that inner-conflict festering inside. Documenting journal entries can also establish a record that affords one with the ability to re-experience the past with the developed maturity they may possess today.

So write down all the things that come to mind, even the things that make you go “uh-ha-ha.” The wonderful thing about journaling is that you can be truly honest with yourself and your feelings in order to promote a deeper level of discovery, stability, proactivity and liberation.

Sometimes I am consistent with writing in my journal and sometimes I’m not. And that’s okay, since journaling is not truly necessary and its only there if you feel like it can benefit you.

I understand that for some people, this method will not work. Still, I strongly urge everyone to give this a try whenever their head space is brimming with pent-up thoughts and emotions and you need a healthy release.

You never know if journaling can be a transformative keystone habit like it was for me.

2. Fight for your right to… well, exercise

Working out at a gym, even for only a couple of months, certainly has elevated my mood and overall energy.

Contrary to popular belief, exercising is not just about building muscle and burning calories.

Personally, I started exercising because it was an excellent way of transfiguring my raw emotional energy into precise physical release.

Alleviating stress via exercise is essential to my welfare because stress has a way of clouding judgment and inviting both negative thoughts and intense emotions.

By working out at the local gym, I can safely enjoy taking out all my frustration on those weights or cardio machines (how dare they remove The Office from Netflix!)

On the other hand, working out can literally change the way your brain works. Research has demonstrated that exercise can improve the synaptic connectivity between neurons, optimize hormonal levels (like dopamine) and increase blood flow, all of which are essential in handling those “I LITERALLY CAN’T EVEN” moments like a pro.

And even if you don’t have an hour to spare during your busy day, a little activity is better than none. In fact, 20 minutes — at least once or twice per week — of brisk walking can provide immediate benefits for both your health and your mood.

In terms of improving one’s mood, achieving happiness is all about constantly improving yourself and your situation (which is made clear during investigations into why people with vast amounts of wealth are seldom happy).

Therefore, exercising is a crucial outlet simply because you truly are in a better place mentally and physically after your workout than you were before you started — minus the soreness and all.

In addition, going to the gym is the only part of my day where I do not have to worry about anything else but lifting weights for an hour and a half. Now that’s my type of meditation.

If anything, when it came to hitting the gym hard, getting fit was merely a bonus. Although fitness is important, clearing your mind of stress cannot be overlooked.

3. Play tunes to tune out

The CD album covers for Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet and the Weeknd’s Starboy.

I wanted to be a bit more original with this listing, but you cannot exclude something as practical as listening to music when it comes to blowing off steam.

Music is indeed the Michael Jordan — a.k.a. the G.O.A.T. (yes, I said what I said) — of stress relievers.

I mean, there’s good reason why researchers at Stanford University found that listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication (i.e., according to science, music really IS a drug).

Unquestionably, music has a considerable selection of genres; and within those distinct genres, there is a staggering number of varieties to choose from.

Yet, despite music’s complexity, listening to music can be pretty straightforward. You can choose to either:

  • (1) Listen to calming music to soothe your nerves or…
  • (2) Blast angry music and going absolutely bananas.

Both appeal to their fair share of people, but in terms of personal experience, the latter is where the magic happens.

Indeed, there is nothing more truly cathartic than playing music on full blast like it’s nobody’s business. Remember, we’re talking about blowing steam here, so you better go full Sith lord and…

Don’t worry, the Dark Side has macadamia cookies and free healthcare (for that inevitable hearing loss, of course. Seriously guys, exercise caution when listening to loud music).

For those who want to go the gentle route, be sure to check out this song that has been scientifically proven to calm you down:

UK neuroscience claims that this song can reduce up to 65% of overall anxiety in listeners. That’s bonkers. Listen to it here for more streaming options.

It can be easy to forget that the songs we love to hear everyday are made by people just like you and I. Music artists may, too, sometimes feel vulnerable and suffer from rough patches in their lives. Chances are that you’ll find some music that relates to EXACTLY how you’re feeling.

Ultimately, the very best thing about music is that listening to it is not a mutually exclusive activity; you can rock out to some tunes while exercising or journaling to augment the overall experience and effectiveness in your endeavors.

So seek shelter, vent and get lost into your music within minutes.

Just please remember to not Drake and Drive.

4. Another one fights the dust

My car always gets the brunt of my senseless spring cleaning onslaughts.

I get it, nobody wants to go straight home and clean the house, especially after a long day at the office and you didn’t get to eat cause some coworker ate your sandwich that you’ve thought you had perfectly hidden away. *Cries*

It’s all about getting yourself in the right headspace to clean, to the point where it’s just merely the primal urge to clean the crap out of something. I want you whistling while you work, Snow White style, for goodness’ sake.

Even Jennifer Lawrence had the right idea. You need to add a little flavor when you clean, whether it is listening to music or cleaning while you’re angry.

Ah yes, the infamous ‘Rage Clean’. We know it all too well. We know it when your temper flares, and those messes that need sorting out almost beckon your name. We know it when those dishes gets washed with intense glee. Surfaces are sprayed and wiped with forceful intent. Laundry gets deposited with angry aplomb. Tables are scrubbed, the broom gets victimized and my car? That poor unfortunate soul GLISTENS when I’m done with it.

And there’s beauty behind the madness too. Because, after you’re done cleaning, you’re not only left with a room you wouldn’t be afraid to show your mother but you have also effectively blown out your steam. Accidental productivity for the win!

Thus, forget traditional therapy — there’s no copay involved in spring cleaning!(Just kidding about forgetting therapy, therapy is wonderful.)

Sometimes, I like to visualize physically cleaning the clutter in my room as mentally clearing the scattered thoughts in my head. After all, we are the product of our environment, and the best thing you can do to improve your mood is to improve your surroundings.

Basically, cleaning my room virtually becomes an exercise in clearing the redundant energy I may possess after a long, hard day.

If you do it right, you can even turn spring cleaning into a workout (e.g., burning calories by running up and down stairs, scrubbing the windows and floors, etc.)

There’s a reason why it is said that “cleanliness is close to godliness.” Indubitably, having an immediate positive impact in your life — by simply augmenting the cleanliness of your room — may lead to a cascade of more positive changes to come.

5. Talk to someone (including yourself)

Just hanging out with the only people I trust (someone please get this editing software away from me).

On days when you get the short end of the stick and just want to be left alone, it can be extremely difficult to foresee yourself being in a talkative mood. However, putting in effort to reach out and be social can be well worth the risk.

Like journaling, expressing our our thoughts, feelings and concerns to others help us both process and eradicate them.

Furthermore, once you’re finished getting things off your chest (while also getting a fresh outside perspective on your situation), you’ll literally feel like you lifted a weight off your shoulder. Thus, releasing that tension and burden you harbor inside will certainly improve your well-being both physically and mentally.

It also helps that, by confiding in someone you can trust, you can cultivate a deeper and more profound relationship with that certain someone. That is precisely how some of my finest friendships were formed — just because someone took the heartfelt risk in deciding to trust me and vice versa.

The possibilities for confiding in someone can encompass close friends (who might relate to what you’re going through), family members (who can sometimes give you great support), teachers or youth workers (who are often good listeners and trained to deal with loads of issues), or going to talk to a professional who is completely removed from the situation.

If there really is no one to talk to, then there’s still hope. Even having a conversation with yourself is sufficient in acquiring an ample amount of psychological distance from your experiences, which can often be useful for regulating those troublesome emotions.

Still, people are one of the most abundant resources on the planet; use them!

You know, “no man is an island?” “No failure is a man who has friends?” Ah forget it.

Just remember, I am always here for anybody who needs someone to listen. All you need to do is contact me and you’ve got a friend in me.

Sorry, just saw Toy Story 4 the other day. I am still not over it.

What do you think about the listed methods for blowing off some steam? Is there any other modes of action that you’d personally like to share? Is Michael Jordan indeed the Greatest of All Time? Be sure to comment below!

Thanks so much for reading and I’ll see you next time, you affable hot heads.

A Weekend Hobby – Introduction

Thanks for joining me on my new blog! This online journal is just a wholesome place for me to spread my ideas across in the most fun way possible: writing! 

Writing is indeed the framework of communication: it makes our thinking and learning tangible and present in such a way that promotes not only the understanding of others but of ourselves as well. Thus, this new weekend hobby provides a creative outlet for me to express all the thoughts and feelings I harbor inside, especially in such an uneasy time in my life (i.e., being a UCLA post-graduate who did not get into medical school upon applying).

You can read more about me and what my blog consists of in the “About” page. Thank you so much for reading!

“Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill