Better Together

There is a Latin word that appears on the great seal of our country: E pluribus Unum. These unprecedented times have put the spotlight on it: Out of many, ONE.

I was raised in Africa. From a childhood, I had more black people around me and taking care of me than a normal Indian boy. I never saw the color of their skin – I just loved them. Nia – my sister’s nanny was more than a mother to me. And I still miss her to this day. I remember her cry when I sustained 2nd degree burns as a child. I never ever felt the difference. When I moved to America and lived in Newark, I quickly realized that in the inception of black lives in these United States of America, I was forcibly made to see the difference by people who thought they were orienting me to this country. These people made me realize that black lives have been a footnote or even a stain in its beautiful fabric of America that they would like to forget it is even there. America is comfortable showing off its beautiful colorful fabric and pretending the stain on that fabric does not exist. It exists in people who will walk down the street and become uncomfortable when they see a black person. It exists in being ignorant even when we saw it or was subject to it subtly in “polite company” by those we would consider to be colleagues or friends. It made me angry not just at the officer who dared to put his knee on the neck; but more for the other officers who stood and watched their colleague do it.

To all my friends and colleagues: I see you. I value you. All of You. I could go on to say that I stand with you and support you and that I am outraged, grieving, praying, listening, learning, and promising not to stay silent as everybody else. But today that would be just another BLM statement. And will get washed away in the cacophony of outrage around us. I may not be the sustained systemic change necessary, but I will do my part – everyday; so, I do not become the ‘politely ignorant one’.

I pray that our future generations are better in carving a beautiful society than we have. The tragedy for us is that we still must remind others of Black humanity. I pray for a day when all Americans believe and treat all lives with love and respect so that movements like Black Lives Matter do not have to exist. I pray for the day when everyone realizes we are Better Together. Until then I will practice what I feel – being Better Together with people who I care to be associated with. Out of many, we are Better Together as ONE.