Mind Where We Are Putting Our Black Dollars

It is about two in the morning, somewhere right off of Almeda Road. I am in a group of four Black women and men. As the events and bars all wind down, we headed to a gas station for some late night snacks.

When we got there, the store owner would not let my group in his store. The door was locked and he spoke to us through the glass. With some convincing, he let one of the four of us inside to pick out all of the things we wanted to purchase. They paid and we kept on with our night.

To me, this was a clear act of racism and took me straight back to Black history. I could feel Latasha Harlins in my bones, the 15 year old Black girl accused of stealing and shot to death in a Los Angeles convenience store. The rest of my night was consumed with an eerie feeling, and the nausea of injustice.

Upon further discussion about this matter, I realized that most excuse or permit this behavior. Some write it off as a businessman rightfully protecting his goods. Others say that it is simply the culture of the south.

Let me make one thing about myself clear. I am not from the South, nor am I, or ever will be, complacent to racism.

Businesses will not even let us into their stores and we still purchase from them. People who profit off of our capital, simultaneously get to display their prejudice towards us.

I am so saddened to hear that businesses that carry on in this way and have our sympathy in doing so.

Light and Love,

Kadaysha