The United States of America. Also known as: the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Think about that statement. Do you, as an American, feel that we are living up to that statement?

No matter what you answered to that question, the simple truth is that we are not. People of color have been oppressed since the very founding of this nation, and white people have been cowardly when it comes to changing that.

As a white woman, I am not going to sit here and act like I know what any person of color in America is going through right now. I know that I will never understand.

This past week has been a whirlwind of emotions for every American. We are seeing videos of police brutally beating people, windows being smashed, cars being burned, and people giving and losing hope flooding our timelines. We are seeing facts, statistics, works of art, literature and films about the treatment of black people in America highlighted. What are we doing with this information? Sharing it on our Instagram stories then not thinking about it for the rest of the day?

I have seen so many things on social media, good and bad, and it can be hard to digest all of it. But, as a white American citizen, it is my duty to listen to this information. It is my duty to educate myself. It is my duty to sign petitions and donate so that justice can one day be served.

It is also my duty to listen to the people of color in my life and on social media. It is all of our duty to do so.

If you can be one thing right now, be a good listener.

Do not look the other way when a person of color is trying to explain what they go through every day in this country. This has been an issue for far too long. Be an advocate for change.

Again, I will never be able to understand the true pain people of color are going through. What I can do is listen and try to be a part of a change that so desperately needs to happen.

Black lives matter, and it is their time to be heard. Stop silencing, and start listening.

For links to petitions to sign, organizations to donate to, and educational resources to aid in this movement: visit this website.