On Dec 18, 1865, slavery was abolished in America. Yes, since then we have received our right to vote, we have been given the right to own property, an African American has become president and we even have a wide range of jobs and degrees; but has anything truly changed?

Travyon Martin, Keith Childress, Bettie Jones, Kevin Matthews, Natasha McKenna and Alton Sterling; these are just a few (emphasis on few) of the names of people killed in shootings by white officers. Just in 2015, over 120 unarmed blacks were killed. That’s over two people each week. I can go on and on listing thousands of names covering all states in the US.

America, right, the land of the free and brave.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If physical death is the price that I must pay to free my white brothers and sisters from a permanent death of the spirit, then nothing can be more redemptive." When will we be seen as equals and not judged because of the color of our skin? When will we be able to walk around and not be watched because of the color of our skin? When will I see the day that my brothers and sisters are free?

Black Lives Matter isn’t a momentary thing; it’s a movement spread across the US standing up against oppression of the African American race. We are working to (re)build the Black liberation movement. Black lives are deprived of basic human rights and dignity every day. When will we become a part of the land of free? Racism has existed throughout human history. It is defined as the hatred or belief that another person is less than human because of skin color, language, customs or place of birth. Though this is a time of sadness this is not a time for violence. As people we should be uplifting one another and praying for one another. So black community, I am asking you to put down your weapons. We have more dignity then this. Lets fight back in positive ways. My mom always told me, "There is one thing that no man can ever take way from you, and that is your education."

We are so much better than this. I know you are mad, because I am too. But there are other ways to address the issues we have been faced with as a community, as one. White men and women need to drop their weapons because, last time I checked, we are both created in the same way. We are both human and our skin colors do not make us inferior.

Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." This has to stop, you live by the sword you die by the sword. They may not get their reward here on earth but everyone has to meet their maker someday and their time here on earth will be judged.

Lastly, I am an African American female who is a native of Baton Rouge, LA, that attends a predominately white school and I am beyond blessed to say I have never felt uneasy or discriminated against at my school. My school was one of the first in the south to integrate before the date of integration. By that I go on to say, not all whites are racist and not all blacks are thugs. One day the world will be one of equality and I will sleep easier at night. This is not going against all lives matter because they do. As Martin Luther King Jr. said “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." America needs God. #PRAYERSFORAMERICA #standupBR

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. ”

Mother Teresa

Photos courtesy of Iriel Evans.