“One of the most valuable lessons I learned during this pandemic is that you should never take anything for granted. One second something could be here, and the next second, not.
It feels the same with racism. Racism is the terrible thing that makes me scared to walk my dog. Racism is the thing that makes me scared when I hear a siren from outside my home. I know that when I hear a siren, it could mean a death or an arrest of me or my family. Walking in my own neighborhood, I’ve had people ask me why I was there and if I needed help with something or I was lost. I was with my dad.” - Ayodele, 10