I Stand With You

5.30.20

I created For The Soule, to talk about my favorite things. Music, fashion, sneakers, sports. Share my crazy, obsessed opinions on certain matters, and connect with others who have love for those things as well. While I intend to always be positive and never step too far over the line with my platform, I also feel extremely strongly about the injustice that has taken over our country. I have felt this way, for as long as I can remember, and I would like to share my take on it here. For all my friends who are hurting, the cities that are being destroyed, for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and all others who have been taken from us, in such unjustifiable ways.

When I first thought about creating For The Soule, I had no idea what to call it or what I wanted it to look like. I knew exactly what I wanted to talk about, but I wondered if I would be taken seriously because of who I am. I am literally a five-foot tall white woman. But I have always been passionate for these things I am writing about, and I have always been passionate about equality for all. I look up to Vanessa Satten, a white female who became Editor-In-Chief for XXL. I look up Tami Roman, a black woman with several of her own businesses, television shows and amazingly talents daughters in the fashion and music industry as well. My day job is to support the streetwear industry using digital media. Without these things that the black community has perfected, I do not know where I would be. I would be a completely different person.

Before I wanted to be a fashion designer, I wanted to be a lawyer. During times like these, I wish so badly that I had to tools I needed when it was time for me to act on what I wanted to be when I grew up, so that I could be there, in front of these officers, and do my job to make sure they receive the sentencing they all deserve. Officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested, days after rioting has broken out, not just across the city, but across the country. It took days for this, when the evidence is clear. Those other officers who were at the scene, have not been arrested. Not only are those officers accessories and witnesses to the crime and should have already been arrested, but Officer Chauvin was just granted a $500K bail. The situation between Chauvin and George Floyd, was murder. That officer had no intent of stopping, until he knew his victim was done. It is absolutely unjustified for this man to be free on the streets. I stand with Floyd. I stand with the protestors who are also being abused by Police, even when protesting in the proper/safe manner.

Basically I just wanted to prove my sincerity with the situation. So, I will not get into more details about my opinions on the rioting, but will explain myself to you. I remember growing up and experiencing things that I would call out as racism all the time, but never understood why. Within my household, between friends, it was everywhere. I grew up in a very traditional, old school, Catholic, Italian family. They want us to be perfect, marry within our race, etc., etc. Things got weird for a moment, when I chose my lane in music. The first CD I ever bought was a T.I. CD, but we could not listen to it on Sundays. Maybe it is just a faze, they would always tell me. Probably even before this, I remember one day at the toy store, picking out a black Barbie Doll. My mother told me I couldn’t have it, Barbies are supposed to look like you, be your twin. Why? I thought. She was more beautiful than the blonde Barbie, and none of these look like me. I remember in middle school, remember playing 21 questions with your crush? I remember being asked if I’d ever date a black man. I remember saying yes, why not? Then being blocked seconds after. Jealousy, hate, whatever it may be, I will fight against it.

On top of all this, I worked at Abercrombie & Fitch for seven years of my life. The diversity of such close friends I had at work, including the amount of LGBTQ+ friends I had at work, was outstanding. I loved everyone for who they are, but others have a hard time understanding those whom are unlike them. Perhaps they were brought up differently, or they are just undereducated.

I am happy to say, that for the past decade, I talk about what is going on the world to my parents and family every, single day. From gay marriage becoming legal, to letting transgender individuals use whatever bathroom they want, to calling justice for police brutality, to letting those protestors burn down the building belonging to those officers who wronged them, rather than protect them. The complete turn around in the opinions of my family members, is remarkable. When they ask, why can’t the protestors protest peacefully? I respond, because when they do, they get pepper sprayed, teargassed, and arrested anyways. We protested peacefully for Breonna and Ahmaud, and look what happened to George Floyd. What else can we do to make our voices heard? To this, they get it. They stand with us too.

I see what is happening, and I cannot stand it. I stand with Breonna Taylor. I stand with Ahmaud Arbery. I stand with George Floyd. I stand with all of you who are hurting during these terrible times. I have signed the petitions for all, I will continue to educate myself and others around me, and I will continue to support in anyway I can, to give justice to these lives, of the unarmed who have been taken away, unfairly so.