R.A.C.E. Matters holds epic rally

It was a moment never to be forgotten.  Put together in less than 48 hours, Courtney Haile and her team at R.A.C.E. Matters assembled a powerful group of speakers – rapper, cleric, activist student, and poets – for an amazing event on May 31 that paved the way for us to feel and confront every emotion possible – rage, sadness, helplessness, hopelessness, sadness, empathy, connectedness, determination, and finally hopefulness.  The event culminated beautifully in 8 minutes, 46 seconds of silence with everyone in the crowd of thousands holding up their cell phones, flashlights on.  Points of light shone on faces of every color in the crowd, unified in their grief that these cruel events are somehow still happening in this country.  Each time, starting with Rodney King, people of color thought: finally, this will be the one that will catalyze change.  But no.  The outrage was brushed aside until the next death.  And the next.  We can only hope that George Floyd will finally be the next and LAST one.   Silence is violence.  If white people don’t stand with our black brothers and sisters in a unified voice, there will be a next one.  And a next.  This must stop here.  NOW.  As one of my favorite signs said: “We see you.  We hear you.  We stand with you.  We will try to do better.”