The holiday season, besides being a huge economic success for retail companies, is a time where we come together with our families or friends and celebrate togetherness. Whether it’s the one timeout of the year that you see them or it’s a get-together you and your family look forward to the entire year, it truly is a magical time. And I am referring to all holidays celebrated during the fall and winter time, no matter your race or ethnicity. It is a time to congregate with others.

I say this holiday season will be a sad one because Terence Crutcher will be missing at the table. Keith Lamont Scott, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Dalvin Hollins, Delrawn Small, Deravis Rogers, Clarence Howard, Darius Robinson, David Joseph, Tyree King and Randy Nelson and many more will be missing at the family table. Charles Kinsey will be left with the remnants of his unjustified shooting. The family of Maylin Reynoso will be mourning her death after being neglected in the media. The 14 other girls missing from the Bronx will be missed this holiday season as the police and the media continues to ignore them.

The mistreatment and neglect of people of color in the U.S. by law enforcement officers is a continuing occurrence. Each week, another video is released of an unarmed Black man being shot or asphyxiated to death by a police officer. Following this news, are talks criticizing movements such as the protests in Charlotte or Colin Kaepernick's protest. As said by Stephen Colbert, if they march, they are considered violent, if they peacefully protest, they are told to stop and are called “unpatriotic”.

Say their names. Record the violence to hold people accountable for their actions. It is truly baffling that people of color continue to be persecuted in this country and are only paid attention to and given media coverage when they are being violent (or are being perceived as “violent”). But when they are standing with their hands up and unarmed, or lying on the ground, waiting to be shot by the men and women that are supposed to protect them, they are ignored and treated as anything but human. Their families are left with an empty seat during this holiday season.