Every day, millions of people across the country take strolls through their neighborhoods without thinking twice. While some people walk for exercise, others do it just for enjoyment and to get fresh air.
But imagine if you couldn’t walk in your neighborhood because it would be too risky. For most of us, that’s something that doesn’t even seem possible. Sadly, it’s the reality for many people. One man bravely shared his story, which gives all of us an entirely different perspective of what life’s like for others.
Too dangerous
Shola Richards who lives in Los Angeles would love to have the opportunity to walk but for him, that’s not a viable option. Something as simple as taking a stroll in the area where he lives could prove deadly.
Who’s Shola Richard?
Richard is a 45-year-old author and keynote speaker. He’s a well-respected man inside and outside of his community. And while he lives in a beautiful area of LA, he shared something on his Facebook page about what it’s like for him as a black man to take a simple walk.
Strong and athletic
Not only is Richard tall but he’s also athletic. You’d think someone like him wouldn’t have an issue taking a walk but that’s not the case. He explains that when he walks with his two girls, 11 and 8, or if he’s taking his dog out, people don’t see him as a threat. But on his own, things are quite different.
Trying to stay safe
Richard goes on to share, “Twice a day, I walk my dog Ace around my neighborhood with one, or both of my girls. I know that doesn’t seem noteworthy but there’s something that I must admit. I would be scared to death to take those walks without my girls and my dog.”
He has more to say, “In fact, in the four years living in my house, I have never taken a walk around my neighborhood alone (and probably never will).”
The horrific death of George Floyd
Since the killing of George Floyd, things have changed. As you probably know, Floyd was a blank man killed after a police officer in Minnesota placed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes, suffocating him. All for trying to pass counterfeit money.
Protesting, rioting, and looting
In the wake of Floyd’s death, we’ve seen peaceful protesting mingled with violence that’s left innocent people injured and killed. Along with that, there have been billions of dollars in property destruction. Even today, riots and looting are happening throughout the US, as well as in Canada and other parts of the world.
Striking a chord
The words Richard wrote on his Facebook page hit a chord with people of all races. Whether they’re involved with protesting or not, his honesty has made them think about how life for some individuals is so different from what they thought, particular after the Floyd incident.
Comments came rolling in
After talking about his fear of taking a walk in his neighborhood, Richard began receiving a lot of comments of support. One person wrote, “I am so sorry that it is dangerous just to have non-white skin in this country.”
Another individual had this to say, “It makes me angry and sad that hatred and discrimination have enough power to degrade and endanger so many lives.”
More unnecessary deaths
Although the Floyd case is what set people off, he isn’t the only person to have died without just cause. Others like Christian Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor also faced horrific circumstances that cost them their lives.
Feeling brokenhearted
With everything combined, Richard felt emotionally broken. Especially as a black man, stories about other black people losing their lives for no reason has been incredibly difficult. As he put it, they made him feel as though it was “death by a thousand paper cuts.” He also said these stories “felt soul-destroying.”
A personal impact
For Richard, the death of Floyd and the others made him feel so sick inside that he couldn’t eat or sleep. Things became so bad he started to drop a lot of weight. Although he has many white friends, their words of encouragement and support rang empty. He knew they meant well but they just couldn’t understand the depth of his grief.
People who’ve read what Richard wrote feel bad. In just a few days, his post was liked 320,000 times and shared more than 400,000 times. Richard asks people to speak up rather than remain silent when they witness an injustice. But it’s important to protest productively and peacefully. Violence only hurts the cause.
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