BLACK LIVES MATTER In my hometown of Baltimore, MD, the murder rate continually rises. A local rapper, Lor Scoota, popular with Baltimore’s youth and known for a very popular song called “Bird Flu,” was recently killed. His musical impact meant a lot to those who appreciated his musical style. Another black life ended unnecessarily. Another talent silenced. Too many parents have already lost their children to the streets. Parents are afraid that they will continue to lose more, so they hope this will stop. Clearly, there needs to be a way to stop the violence. My solution is for the whole city to gather up, come together, pray and protest peacefully. A question comes to mind, “Is it worse for a white police officer to kill a black man or for a black man to kill another black man?” Either way it is wrong. Black lives do matter. The black lives movement is an internationally positive movement that originated in the African-American community. We are all humans; nobody should hurt anybody. Unfortunately, that is just the way things are these days. Today’s troubled youth are in this predicament. Maybe, it is because of the things going on at home, or maybe because they never had someone to stand by them and show them right from wrong. (This work was composed by the writer in response to the social issues occurring during the summer of 2016; the killing of black men by both law enforcement officers and people from within the African-American communities themselves.)
Voices to be Heard
DOMINIK AYE Jr. STAFF WRITER I Belong Magazine.com provides a forum for our youth to have their voices heard, and to speak their truth without judgment, with the hope of finding peaceable solutions together . Page 29
I BelongMagazine.com Fall/Winter 2016–17
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