REBOOT: Remembering George Floyd

Hello friends,

Today is the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, which was one of the catalysts for this newsletter. In an era of a backlash against anti-racism and DEI, I keep wondering what’s changed. Here’s an updated version of the poem I wrote on the first anniversary

IT’S BEEN FIVE YEARS

It’s been five years

Since George Floyd’s murder shook the world

Nine minutes and 29 seconds of videoed trauma

Making Black Lives Matter, but only for a moment

Five long years

It’s been five years

Of thousands more Black deaths

Of Karens and Amys and others

Putting Black lives in danger

Five long years

It’s been five years

Since the black squares covered social media

Promising much but delivering little

Then quietly returning to business as usual

Five long years

It’s been five years

Since diversity in companies hit the spotlight

Revealing just how white the world is

Do you suddenly believe the Black people who said it before?

Five long years

It’s been five years

Since more Black people spoke out

About how white supremacy had ruined their lives

Yet Black people were also silenced and suppressed

Five long years