Racial Justice

Alton Sterling and Philando Castile

No. Not again.

Those were my first thoughts as I woke up on separate days this week. Just after 32-year-old Alton Sterling was shot and killed by police in Louisiana, another young black man, Philando Castile, lost his life at the hands of police in Minnesota.

Like many young black people in the United States, I’m left confused, scared, sad, and angry all at once. In 2016 alone, 561 people have been killed by police and a disproportionate percent of them are black.

Many of us may feel lost, but I’m hopeful that we can find some solace in each other, in sharing our stories, and in working together to make change. Because this has to change.

Already more than 1.2 million people are supporting petitions in the movement for police accountability.

The movement includes a petition to change stand-your-ground laws and another to create a national database of police shootings. It also includes a petition started today that asks the Justice Department to investigate the death of Philando Castile.

If you want to be updated on the progress of that movement, make sure you follow it.

If you have ideas on how to address police violence or if you just want to share your thoughts on these recent tragedies, please do so in the comments section below.

Natalie Green is an Associate Campaigner at Change.org

Written by
Change.org
July 7, 2016 10:14 pm