I’m Tired

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It’s been eight days since George Floyd was senselessly murdered in broad daylight by a Minneapolis Police officer. Since then, there have been six straight days of protests, looting, riots, ineffective leadership (from all levels of our government in Minnesota), and detrimental interference from the current White House occupant.

Every day, I’ve had concerned and well-meaning friends (particularly my white friends) calling and messaging to check on me and ask if I’m OK. They have literally been asking if they can give me some form of compensation for the educational and emotional labor work I’ve done for them, in order to help them make sense of recent and past events. Now, they are seeking ways to help me. Needless to say, it has been an exhausting week as a resident — particularly a Black resident — of this state.

I am tired.

If I’m being honest, I was tired long before the George Floyd murder.

Let me outline the ways in which I am tired, in no particular order, including, but not limited to:

1. I’m tired of living in a state which through education and economic policy consistently fails its most vulnerable residents, at a rate far worse than any state in the nation, and pays lip service to addressing systemic inequality. Perhaps, if Minneapolis alone put as much effort, time, and money into the schools as they do in their nationally rated park systems, our children might have better outcomes.