there are no words right now except for these

It’s been a horrible and heartbreaking week in our country. You don’t need pictures from us to see and know the extent of the pain, disgust and devastation most of us feel.

We thought the COVID19 pandemic had stretched us to the limits, but now our cities are under siege.

If you don’t understand the protests, can you TRY TO IMAGINE what it would feel like to be pushed to the edge? 

The video of the white police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck until he murdered him affected us all differently.

If you’re white you were probably horrified at the injustice.

But if you’re black you hit a breaking point. Here we go again.

Whether white, black, brown or anything in between, good people of all colors agree there’s no justifying the destruction and looting caused by opportunists.

We can’t let this distort an important civil rights message that all peaceful protestors are trying to make.

Again… the peaceful protesters are NOT the same people, the extremists, who are literally tearing our country apart with their violence.  

The whole thing is confusing. Check out this recent New York Times piece.  

And in the midst of all this I ask myself… how do I even write a food and travel blog?

It is an absolute PLEASURE to update you on our recipes and on our lives every week. 

But for now we will hit the PAUSE button to think about where we are… and where we’re going.

What can we do now?

Here are some ideas on ways to educate ourselves on how to actively be anti-racist and to understand the basics of racial justice.

Let’s do this together!

1. Sign petitions demanding that all the officers are charged. These petitions from change.org and Color of Change raise money for community change. Plus by signing the Color of Change petition you’ll be calling for the release of protesters who have been arrested.
2. Donate and support local organizations to provide financial support to those most closely impacted. There’s now a GoFundMe page organized by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, to help cover the costs of George’s funeral as well as grief counseling, court proceedings and to continue seeing justice. It’s the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund. You can also donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a group currently providing jail bonds to protesters who have been arrested. This fund quickly went viral as public figures and celebrities matched donations and encouraged others to do the same.
3. Consider attending a local protest or demonstration. If you do this be sure to follow the CDC guidelines to ensure your physical safety including wearing a mask, bringing hand sanitizer and maintaining a 6-foot distance from others. Check out the local Black Lives Matter or Showing Up For Racial Justice chapters. Before attending any event check the local laws for sheltering in place as well as know how your safety can be compromised in other ways as well.

I found this article with some great ideas for what we can all do for racial justice. 

75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice

I will leave you with a Facebook post that made a huge impact on me.  It’s one of those that asks that you repost on your own news feed. It speaks to me because of its message and because of my personal ethnic and cultural background. I attached links to each of the victims so that you can click and read all of their stories.

I am a Hispanic woman. Born in Cuba, raised in this country by devoted, hard working immigrant parents who poured their resources and love into the promise of the next generation. I am 💯 Latina and I am also white. I have learned that my whiteness extends me and other Hispanics like me, opportunities that black and brown people will never have. I do not diminish the efforts and challenges of my family to overcome the discrimination we faced as Hispanics. And it is without question that black and brown people face abundantly steeper obstacles by the mere color of their skin and the resulting deep seated institutional racism of this country. So I say:

I have privilege as a white person because I can do all of these things without thinking twice:

I can go birding. (ChristianCooper)

I can go jogging. (AmaudArbery)

I can relax in the comfort of my own home. (BothemJean and AtatianaJefferson)

I can ask for help after being in a car crash. (JonathanFerrell and RenishaMcBride)

I can have a cellphone. (StephonClark)

I can leave a party to get to safety. (JordanEdwards)

I can play loud music. (JordanDavis)

I can sell CDs. (AltonSterling)

I can sleep. (AiyanaJones)

I can walk from the corner store. (MikeBrown)

I can play cops and robbers. (TamirRice)

I can go to church. (Charleston9)

I can walk home with Skittles. (TrayvonMartin)

I can hold a hair brush while leaving my own bachelor party. (SeanBell)

I can party on New Year’s Eve. (OscarGrant)

I can get a normal traffic ticket. (SandraBland)

I can lawfully carry a weapon. (PhilandoCastile)

I can break down on a public road with car problems. (CoreyJones)

I can shop at Walmart. (JohnCrawford)

I can have a disabled vehicle. (TerrenceCrutcher)

I can read a book in my own car. (KeithScott)

I can be a 10-yr old walking with my grandfather. (CliffordGlover)

I can decorate for a party. (ClaudeReese)

I can ask a cop a question. (RandyEvans)

I can cash a check in peace. (YvonneSmallwood)

I can take out my wallet. (AmadouDiallo)

I can run. (WalterScott)

I can breathe. (EricGarner)

I can live. (FreddieGray)

I CAN BE ARRESTED WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING MURDERED. (GeorgeFloyd)

White privilege is real. Take a minute to consider a Black person’s experience today.

#BlackLivesMatter