Latinos Across the Country Show Support for Black Lives Matter
It’s been one week since police killed George Floyd, and the protests have not let up
Photo: Instagram/coloralamexicana by Daniel Ximénez
It’s been one week since police killed George Floyd, and the protests have not let up. Throughout the weekend, at least 140 cities had demonstrations demanding the end of racism and police brutality. Latinos came out in full force to support the Black Lives Matter movement by amplifying their voices and marching alongside them.
From California to New York City, Latinos showed up by shouting their pain and raising their fists. Yes, Latinos endure racism too — but these marches and protests are not about our injustices. We can show up with our grief and magnify the resounding hurt that the black community has always suffered.
@ the Latinos saying “what about us 😭” …STFU it’s not about us rn, and I know the struggles as an undocumented immigrant myself. But right now it’s about our black brothers and sisters. Educate yourself on what BLM really stands for(.)
— Rissa (@clary_915) May 31, 2020
The reverberating message from the Latinos to the black community was:
“I am not black, but I see you. I am not black, but I hear you. I am not black, but I will mourn with you. I am not black, but I will fight for you.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA38uhkg83e/
Some of the most beautiful images from this week’s protests included black and brown men standing on top of the CNN sign in Atlanta, Georgia, with a BLM sign and the Mexican flag raised alongside each other.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3ECBQgRtJ/
In Southern California, Aztec dancers showed their support by incorporating Mexican tradition and culture during the protests. Another image, an illustration by Erica Alexia Ledesma, went viral because of her use of a brown and black woman holding hands — a drawing inspired by Frida Kahlo’s “The Two Fridas” — with the words “Tu Lucha is Mi Lucha.” Your struggle is my struggle.
In Los Angeles today. This is absolutely beautiful. The heritage of my people coming through for our Black brothers and sisters. BLACK LIVES MATTER! pic.twitter.com/ovXaNDeL9z
— Cisco 💛🌊 (@ciscoforshort) May 30, 2020
What’s critical about the black and brown conversation is that our ancestors came through in the past as well. The fight never ends, and it’s up to us to show up in solidarity because that is unity is all about.
More images from the CNN Center in downtown Atlanta, from photographer Ben Gray pic.twitter.com/7s8ItQuRYM
— Jennifer Brett 🇺🇦 (@Jennifer__Brett) May 29, 2020
Mijente, a Latinx grassroots organization, wrote, “Latinx communities MUST show up powerfully right now. We must go beyond hollow statements of solidarity & towards a genuine compañerismo. We must take concrete action that goes beyond addressing intra-community anti-Blackness. The time now calls for modeling pro-Blackness & an embodied sense that our fates are linked. Our task is to stand shoulder to shoulder & put it out in the work. Mijente stands with all Black communities across the country who are calling out the injustice of the state-sanctioned murder of Black people in the hands of the police.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAy0reRgBar/
