We are all hurting. We are all sad. And although I can not simply begin to say that I know what it feels like to be a Black American in a time like this, I hear all of you when you say you are hurting and scared and sick with the recent events that have been happening in OUR country. I stand with you. I support you. I hear your fears and I hear your anger. I ask that we all stand together, that we all stay brave together, and that regardless of race, regardless of sexual orientation or social status or anything in between, we all stand united as one in this time of devastation in our country.

I am writing in regards to the shooting in Dallas Texas that fatally injured multiple police officers and critically injured many more. We can not fight fire with fire. The killing of these officers in the city of Dallas has done nothing to change the current situation. Now, there are just more lives that have been taken. There are more families that are hurting and more fear is now instilled into the people of this country. We are becoming a country segregated by hate and divided by fear and until we learn to peacefully fight this fight, we will not make progress.

Anger is a funny thing. It can make you do crazy things. It can make you act on thoughts that you have had now for awhile. With the two recent deaths of young Black males in America, we are all reminded that there have now been 135 African American people brutally killed by the people who are supposed to protect our nation. That is a scary thought. And I understand that this thought can instill anger in each of us, and like I said, this anger can make us act crazy, but we can not do this. We can not keep killing innocent people because we are angry. We can not continue to hurt those who we call our neighbors.

We must fight fire with water. Although it sounds a bit ridiculous when you read it out loud, we must understand that the only way to put this fire out is to use water, to use peace. I am here to encourage you all to stop adding to the flame, to stop the violent rioting and the dangerous shootings. Instead, bring forward peace. Offer peace to those around you. Stand in unity with your neighbors and do not give up. Each and every single one of us deserve to live a safe and happy life in the country that we call our own. None of us can give up until that happens for everyone. Not the white people reading this article, not the hurting and not the scared, and not the Black Americans who have been continually fighting for so many years. Know that I stand with you. Know that I myself am making a pact to not give up, and I hope that each of you do too. This is a fight worth fighting and the more bodies we have standing in unity, the harder the wall will be to break down, and the harder it will be for things like this to continue to ruin the country who prides itself on freedom and equality.