This past week has been exhausting for many in this Country. The killing of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile within two days, has sparked nationwide protests by the national organization known as Black Lives Matter. If that was not enough, this past weekend five officers were killed by a lone sniper. Of course, this has done nothing but to increase the confusion and hurt felt on both sides. It did not take long for the Black Lives Matter Organization to release a Statement about the shooting in Dallas, where they promptly condemned the sniper, stating that: "We are not anti-police...We are anti our people being murdered in the streets. What happened to Alton Sterling, what happened to Philando, what happens to so many black people in our communities is absolutely unacceptable, and I think that’s something that we can all agree on." Yet, even after one of the co-founder's statement, many individuals feel an increasing contempt for the Black Lives Matter Movement.

An image from the protest in Baton Rouge...

Now is as an important time than ever, if you are an ally or advocate for the Black Lives Matter Movement's causes, to condemn the Dallas Shooting, while also lending unyielding support to the core message of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Our Country is hurting, there is no question about it. But, as many have proposed, to slap a band-aid on the issue in an attempt to superficially unify us as a Nation would be irresponsible. Doing such a thing would simply just allow resentment to grow even more in the Black Community.

I am a visual individual, so to help perhaps you and I, think about the following hypothetical: if you were having marital problems with your wife, would any self-respecting counselor tell you to ignore them so you can strengthen your marriage? Furthermore, consider that you, the husband, feel as if the minor concerns your wife has about the marriage are minuscule in nature compared to the problems other individuals face. (E.g. poverty, wars, etc.) Yet, your wife fears that if you both do not address them, she will be forced to divorce you. If you were the husband, should not at the very least address the concerns of your wife? All I can say is that if you do not, you may be single soon! Likewise, White America, whether we feel that there is a problem or not, we must grapple with the painful statistical truth that a majority of African-Americans feel that many problems need to be addressed. If not, I fear what is to come...

As Millennials, we tend to be guilty of either explicitly or implicitly believing the premise that a post on social media will provide an extraordinary change in society. There is nothing wrong with Social Media, but like everything else, I truly believe it must be in moderation. So, where must true change come about? True change starts in your community/region. So, as a life-long member of the 757 (The Hampton Roads region of Virginia), what have we been doing to be the change and how can you get involved?... Good question!

This past week, we've seen the 757 be an excellent example to the Nation of how to have a dialogue and take action. A new group on Facebook called, Black Lives Matter 757 recently organized peaceful protests in each of the major 7 cities in Hampton Roads last night. The creator, using the hashtag 757UnityProtest, got hundreds to participate. The result was a peaceful protest took place in each of the seven cities where no one was arrested. The Virginian Pilot tells even further how cooperative both the Police and Protesters were. Of course, that did not stop many from making repulsive comments online, but the point is the 757 region was an excellent example of what peaceful protests could be.

Additionally, Old Dominion University recently held a vigil in honor of victims who have fallen to Police Brutality. The result was a huge turnout where many were able to speak their mind. Some spoke in spoken word, while others decided to offer a prayer up. Many spoke about their painful recollections of being racially profiled and others spoke about the need for unity.

At this point, you may be asking yourself: "Okay, what else can I do?" Again, I am glad you asked, here are a list of some of the upcoming events/ initiatives you can get yourself involved in as a resident of the 757-area:

Local Events Coming Up:

1) The Silent Mile NFK-This event will be held this Wednesday on July 13th at 4:30PM. It will begin at the Hague Bridge in Downtown Norfolk. The online Facebook event states that: "the Silent Mile is a coordinated response to the escalating murders of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the growing number of other victims of color whose lives have been taken. Our diverse community is coming together to march a silent mile against police violence without trial." For those of you that may be thinking this in the back of your head, they explicitly mention on their page that they are NOT anti-police.

2) A Call to Action: Strategy Meeting- If you are an ODU Student or anywhere near ODU, this meeting will be held July 12th, at 7:00 p.m. at ODU's University Webb Center in the Hampton Room. The event states that: "the strategy meeting will be focused on accountability for police, uplifting the community, and more." It is organized by local University Students, so what an excellent way to support the youth in the area by coming out!

3) Check in with your local NAACP!: Every major city in the 757 has a local NAACP that meets at least once a month. As a member of the Norfolk NAACP, I can attest that they are extremely involved in the community. Below is a list of each local 757 NAACP chapter. It will either send you to their Facebook page or their website (If you are a College student, do not forget to join your University's NAACP organization if they have one:

a)Norfolk NAACP Branch

b)Portsmouth NAACP Branch

c) Chesapeake NAACP Branch

d) Suffolk NAACP Branch

e)Virginia Beach NAACP Branch

f) Isle of Wight County NAACP Branch

g) Hampton NAACP Branch

4) March Against Gun Violence and Police Brutality- According to some sources of mine, there will be a March against Gun Violence and Police Brutality at 5 p.m. starting at 49th and Powhatan in Norfolk, VA starting on Friday July 22nd.

5) "Stop the Violence Community Candle Light Vigil"- Again, according to sources, from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at 1516 East Princess Ann Road Norfolk VA, there will be a vigil.

6) Open Arms Community Uplift- OACU is a local organization whose mission statement is to: "...develop leadership, promote safety, and aid the disadvantaged; while building stronger communities through inclusion." If you wish to get involved contact the CEO/founder on the link provided above.

Although I am sure there will be many more events to come, these are what I know of. Please feel free to email me at bball008@odu.edu so I could promote your events. Remember, although vigils and peaceful protests can be an excellent way to lament and bring attention to the issues, there is much to be done. Join a local community organization such as the NAACP, lobby for specific legislation, get involved in your local government, get involved in your local church, start a conversation with your local Police Department- do something. We must be a generation of doers if we truly want to tackle this issue together. And never give up the chance to have a conversation with someone who disagrees with you.

Stay strong in the fight for justice- Brandon Ballard.