A Call to Student Activism: Hope for the Future of the Black Community

A+Call+to+Student+Activism%3A+Hope+for+the+Future+of+the+Black+Community

Diara Ricketts, Student Spotlight

I have known about racism from the day I was born. You have to be informed of it from a young age, especially if you are Black or part of a Black family. What is your response when you have come across another killing of an unarmed Black man by the police? I myself have watched the video of George Floyd’s death. It brought tears to my eyes, because what if that was my brother, my dad, my uncle? They are all victims of racism. 

My sister, an FMS graduate, is now in college and has been an activist against the injustice of an unarmed Black man being killed at the hands of police in this country.  Watching the current events and my family’s reactions gives me hope for the future of my generation.  As  an eleven-year-old, I hope by the time I am 30, the thought of racism would be something of the past. I know we can do it!  At Loyola University, I saw the changes my sister influenced. I am sure at FMS we are ready for change too, even at 11 years old. I will continue to fight for change, and I encourage YOU to do the same! If you’d like to see some ideas of how you can act, please see this video from the Loyola Rising Event on how to peacefully protest, hold a vigil, and be an ally to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.