Taking A Stand To Make A Difference
Be The Change
The events taking place in our country right now have been extremely gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.
Speaking on this topic is something that I’ve never done before, which is why I’m doing it.
Change doesn’t happen inside of your comfort zone. It happens when you get outside of your comfort zone and you get uncomfortable. It happens when you do something that makes you a little fearful and you don’t know if you’re going to say the right thing or not.
With that said, I am doing this because I want to share with you that I am with all of you in the African American community. I’ve always been with you. I’ve always supported you, but I want to take it to another level.
My Commitment to Change
I was living in St. Louis when Michael Brown was killed and riots took place. That was also extremely gut-wrenching.
At that time, I stayed in my house in fear. I was not speaking up, even though my heart knew what happened was terribly wrong. I never reached out. I never texted my friends. I didn’t call them and say, ‘Hey, how can I help you? How can I help change this situation? That is so wrong.’ I didn’t do that because I didn’t know what to say.
This time is different. I am now making a commitment that it is time to change. It’s time to step outside of our comfort zones and stand up for what we know is right.
I don’t want to look back, even five years from now, and ask myself, ‘What did you do?’ And have said nothing.
So this is my commitment to the black community. I’m with you. To all minorities, I’m with you. I hear you. I’m listening deeper than I ever have before. I know I will never fully understand the pain that you have gone through, but I’m going to do my best to understand, to educate myself, to learn and to listen. I will listen to what your heart is saying.
Hope and Faith
May God bless you. We’re all in this together. When God’s people are gathered together and we’re determined to make a change, nothing stops us.
Now is the time for us to gather together and just keep learning and educating ourselves. I have faith that things will change.
Please know, I’m speaking for myself, because I know I need more. I can always use more information, education and guidance about these issues. But what I’m going to do more than ever is to start to use my voice as well, to stand up with you, right beside you because this isn’t right.
I have hope. In just this past week, the differences and the conversations that I’ve had with my friends and my family, I’ve already seen a positive change. Of course, we have a long way to go, but we’re taking baby steps in the right direction.
I just want to let you know that I’m with you every single step of the way. I am dedicated to learning, to education, to everything. I’m with you, my heart’s with you, and I love you all.
Together, let’s be unstoppable,
– Tori
