“When she was put into my arms almost 23 years ago, the only thing I saw was a beautiful baby with huge eyes and the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen. In these times of sadness and heartbreak, I am reminded my daughter’s skin isn’t just a beautiful color of brown, but the reason she may not be as safe as I am.”
“As a child, you always told me, ‘While I gave birth to your three brothers, it was you I picked.’ You loved me just as much as the three sons you birthed from your own body.”
“He knocked on my patrol car window. I responded, ‘With ME?’ He again said, ‘Can I take a picture with you?’ His mother shed a tear as she held the camera. He is too young to see hate or racism, too young to see that Police can be bad and dishonor their badge.”
“I frantically called. ‘What are you talking about?!’ The receptionist said, ‘According to the background check, you’ve committed several felonies in the state of Texas.’ I’d lived in Colorado for 40 years. The more agitated and defensive I got, the more guilty I sounded. You see, I fit the description.”
“Like 19-year-old me. The girl who wore diamonds in her hair to the party that night. The night. The night it happened. He was my friend I took to the party. He knew I was falling for his friend.”
“I half expect people to say I’m being too sensitive, or paranoid. Only to be met with, ‘If you want me to say your name correctly, you should have a more American name.’ WE fear for our children as they get older, and I fear for him always.”
“In fact, quarantine has stripped us of most of the support systems and coping mechanisms we’ve always used to manage our anxiety in the past. And it’s placed us exactly where a person who struggles with anxiety least wants to be – alone with their thoughts.”
“Starting the conversation will be the most difficult part of this entire thing. But once you do, it gets easier.”
“This was not an easy task. We know they have more energy than we have after drinking three cups of coffee. This was going to be a challenge. We wanted to find something they would all be interested in and would last for years.”
“This is action.”
