The Revolution Begins

Image by Nykeria Chaney

“All lives will matter once Black lives matter” is the chant that has been heard around the world for the past week and one heard by protestors in Peoria, Il. Since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis Police the largest civil rights movement in world history has begun. America is known to be the land of the free, even though the history of this country speaks otherwise. Built from genocide and slave labor America has been land of the free for some rather than all. African Americans have a deep-rooted history in this country of slavery and oppression dating back to 1619 when the first slave ships landed in Jamestown. From there came 400 years of slavery, Jim Crowe, and now what is said to be the new form of slavery mass incarceration and police brutality.

In Peoria, Il a group of African American young adults who call themselves “Young Revolution” have been organizing protests around Central Illinois to bring more awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the problems that are faced in the black community on a daily basis. Protests have been scheduled for every Saturday starting at the Peoria Courthouse and River Front. The Young Revolution has been doing what they can to promote black business by making sure that people know where they are. Young Revolution strides to promote unity across the city of Peoria, to cultivate, to advocate for all oppressed groups, and to be a change agent for our community. 

While police brutality is not a new concept to people there has been a rise in the recordings of these incidents. Most with unarmed black men and women who have done nothing to be a threat other than being Black that ultimately end in them never being able to see their families again. “Imagine leaving your home to do a routine task such as going to the grocery store and instead of coming back with groceries your family has to start planning your funeral instead. That is the reality that African Americans have to think about daily when it comes to encounters with police. To make matters worse more times than not the person who killed you gets to walk free,” said Autumn Angelize one of the founders of Young Revolution. 

Racism in this country has never gone away; it just adapted to the changing times. African Americans are constantly seen as a threat in this country and daily have to conform to social norms to do simple things like getting a job. Years of peaceful protesting have fallen on deaf ears which allowed for the rage that African Americans feel to build. Another leader of Young Revolution, Rochelle Johnson, stated “It was as if America was poking a sleeping bear and now Black voices will be heard until a change is made. Across the world, people have given voice to the pain and damage that police brutality and racism have caused. It is now time for America to listen.” 

Hands Up Don’t Shoot- Lets end Police Brutality Together

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“I’m scared that if I don’t protect him in every way possible he may just become another hashtag,” This statement comes from a mother-to-be who is just weeks away from having her first child.

How many black people are killed every year due to police brutality? According to Huffpost 223 black Americans in just a year since Colin Kaepernick’s first protest.  More people have died at the hands of police in 2017 alone than people who were lynched at the height of Jim Crow. This is showing that Americans are now going backward instead of progressively forward when it comes to racial equality.

“Every day I walk out of my house I’m afraid that I may not make it back home to my children,” says Issac.

According to the Root in 2017 alone police have killed more Americans than terrorists and airplanes together.  Even after this many people have died due to police only 12 were charged with crimes related to shooting deaths. More police are getting away with killing people of color than anyone. Police need to be held more accountable for their what they do. These senseless killing are breaking up so many families.

“Since we are white we never really have to deal with the police the same way that black people do. We don’t know if there is anything that we really can do to help because we are taught to always believe that the police are the good guys,” says Alexis, Liesel, and Rachel.

Of the 534 killer police, Mapping Police Violence was able to identify, 43 had shot or killed someone before. Twelve had previously shot or killed multiple people. Statistics like this are what is driving the disconnect between citizens and police. If something isn’t done soon there will be a state of emergency causing the trust to be broken between the two.

How can America be made great again if it is consistently going backward? Black parents every day have to have “the talk” with their children. Meaning that they have to tell their children different ways to not be killed by police. While caucasian children are taught that police are the good guys and that they are always right.