As I watched the peaceful waves slamming onto the beach miles away from the city, I thought about all the people who are coping with the coronavirus and Black Lives Matter movement back in New York City. I’m hoping that the movement is resonating with people of all races and colors and our city residents are staying safe.
I was very upset about the systemic racism that my friend Tanya experienced. While waiting for the elevator in her building, in Forest Hills, she was approached by a white woman who turned to her and said, “Are you the maid for the man on the fourth floor?”
Tanya, who is Black, explained to me the pain it caused her was just the tip of the iceberg in her life experiences.
Living in a Forest Hills building, she decided to put up a Black Lives Matter sign in her window. She shared with me that a white woman approached her and said, “About that sign in your window — remember that All Lives Matter!” I guess that woman doesn’t get what’s happening.
I’m so fearful for our great city. Our city is torn between those who support the police and those who support the Black Lives Matter movement.
My reporters, photographers and videographers have been all over the city covering the demonstrations.
Sadly some of the demonstrators are out of control thugs. One protester in the Bronx was caught on video putting the police officer who was attempting to arrest him in a headlock. And we’ve seen pro-police demonstrators shout out vile insults against Black people and become violent as well.
We all love our city and we need to feel safe walking out of our homes. Lost in all of the protests and demonstrations is the recent spike in shootings across the city. My heart breaks for the family whose 1-year-old baby was shot to death in a drive-by shooting in Brooklyn.
An innocent life lost shows how dire things are in these disturbing times.
Reaching out
As a former teacher, I do believe that children are our future. Sometimes we feel so hopeless with all that is going on in our world, but I believe we can cope by taking one step at a time.
In that spirit, we as a media company, are reaching out to touch and be touched by the next generation of middle school and high school students. Schneps Media is asking those young people to send multimedia submissions in which they are expressing their feelings about the Black Lives Matter movement.
The theme will be: “Racism In Your Life: Share Your Story.” We will publish many of the submissions in our print, digital and broadcasting platforms.
Additionally, our daily and weekly publications — including amNew York Metro, Caribbean Life, Noticia, El Correo and Gay City News — will be publishing a series titled, “More Perfect Union.”
We are encouraging our readers to share their experiences with inequality. I do believe knowledge sets us free and somehow, someway this is the time in history we must remind ourselves we are, “One nation under God.”
