“I believe my role as a Black father is to repair the damage to my community by the supposed ‘War on Drugs.’ This damage includes the destruction of the Black family unit due to mandatory minimums. First and foremost, my job is to let my daughter know that she is beautiful just the way she is, and to lead by example for my son.
Second, I would like to think that my job is to protect them from both physical, spiritual and mental harm. I believe the #Blacklivesmatter movement has done an excellent job of waking up America to a problem that never left. Further, the movement has help to create allies who want to help. Today, I feel like I must continue the tradition of ‘the talk’ that my mother had to have with me. I worry that my children’s lives could be taken away, while a state or non-state actor may get away scott-free.”
