Living under the perpetual and pervasive threat of racism seems, for black men and black women, to quite literally reduce lifespans.

When the residue of oppression and fear are compounded over time, when the historical precedents of policing and discrimination manifest themselves over and over again, the very act of waking up to a world complicit in your distress can feel like a herculean task. But black people are human beings, just like everyone else.

Preparing oneself for the possibility of confronting racism triggers something that slowly chips away at physical and emotional well-being.

Clint Smith Quotes