Listen to what people of color are saying

George Floyd should still be alive today. He was murdered by anti-blackness, white supremacy and police brutality. We must seek justice for George Floyd and confront systems of racism. Black lives should not be ended by people sworn to protect them. When black lives are free, we are all free. We must confront our own implicit biases and work for racial equality.

We must reform the systems that oppress our black neighbors. We must end injustice. We must speak up to save lives.

Listening to people of color is an act of love. Advocating with and for people of color is an act of love. Hate has no home here.

We must also listen to and support black women and LGBTQ people of color, especially trans women of color who keep getting killed. When black lives are free, we are all free.

Just as we must work to save lives from the coronavirus, we cannot allow people of color to be killed by institutionalized racism, so we must speak up.

As a white person, I was very unaware of how racism harms communities of color until I consciously chose to seek out and listen to voices of color through social media and in journalism. I highly encourage the Daily Herald to work toward hiring more people of color to become more diverse and representative in its columnists and its currently all-white editorial board to ensure that all stories are being told.

Injustice is not inevitable and we can work together to create a better community where it is safe to be black. Speaking out against racism is the moral thing to do and we are all better neighbors when we support one another in difficult times. Don't listen to me: Listen to the people of color who are speaking out.

Daniel Crusius

Arlington Heights