By Janelle Williams, Ph.D.
A few weeks ago, my teenage daughter approached me with quiet seriousness and asked: “Mommy, are we safe here?”
Her words struck me like lightning, revealing the heartbreaking reality faced by every parent who has had to teach their child what to do in the event of a school shooting or an encounter with a trigger-happy officer. Her innocent question compelled an honest but painful conversation, one rooted in fear and precaution. One that echoed the urgent need for change.
We find ourselves at this critical crossroads precisely because we have historically avoided these hard, necessary conversations. America’s persistent commitment to racial hierarchy is not an accident of history; it was intentionally built into the fabric of our economy, our policies and our institutions. Anti-Blackness, sexism, classism and colorism are not mere relics; they continue to thrive, actively nurtured within our politics, businesses and civic structures.