Most people want peace and harmony despite a person’s nationality, religious preferences, age, occupation, education, and skin color. We desire a safe environment in the workplace, school, and our communities. Most will agree that the level of incivility in recent years is toxic, although it…
@thumbnail.jpg "Mark M. Bello")
Racial justice is the fair systemic treatment of everyone regardless of race. It is key to creating equitable opportunities for all. As a Social Justice Activist, I am often asked: “How can I help?” Here are a few ways each of us can take action…
Memorial Day 2020: George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died while being restrained by Minneapolis police. The incident set off national protests for racial justice and against police brutality that ignited a racial reckoning in the U.S. This week, almost a year after the tragedy,…
“It’s only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away.” -Barry Gibbs Last Wednesday’s presidential inauguration capped a remarkable two weeks for our country. In two short weeks, we’ve experienced hatred, division, evil, violence, destruction, horror, insurrection, and sedition. We’ve responded…
2020 will be a year not soon forgotten. Not only were we plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the plague of systemic racism. In the summer of 2020, we witnessed an unprecedented number of protests across the country following the death of George Floyd.…
Most people have seen the eight-minute video of George Floyd lying on his stomach in the street, handcuffed, with the weight of a police officer’s knee pressing down on his neck, while all four officers on the scene ignore Floyd’s cries for breath. Year after…
April has become somewhat symbolic of white supremacists. Perhaps this is because April 19 is Patriot’s Day and April 20 is Adolph Hitler’s birthday. Who knows? What we do know is several symbolic incidents of mass violence have occurred during the month of April. The…
Excerpt from an article by the American Civil Liberties Union. “Almost every African-American or Latino can tell a story about being pulled over by the police for no apparent reason other than the color of his or her skin, especially if he or she happened…
Rolando Haynes sees the flashing lights in his rearview mirror. He hadn’t run a red light or made an illegal turn. He checks the odometer to reassure himself that he’s traveling within the speed limit. The officer asks for license and registration. Rolando reveals that…
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird has been a fixture in the American consciousness for decades, praised for its examination of racial injustice. But today, it is not the only significant American novel about racial injustice, nor is it the only book part of students’ required reading.…
