The U.S. prides itself on diversity, but there’s still a line in the sand when it comes to racial equality. I have seen it time and time again, when a black person is apprehended by the police and ends up beaten or dead–while the white cop often goes free in the name of “self-defense.”

   When Black History Month (BHM) is simply glossed over by mass media and our local community, there’s still room for growth. Hearing the argument broached that BHM is not a “thing” anymore, caused me to take note and counter with: “if we don’t know where we came from, how do we know where we’re going?” Teaching about the importance of diversity and working with students to truly understand why there are days or months dedicated to a cause is something our society has become desensitized about.

   According to Greater Good Magazine, being around diverse people makes us more creative, diligent and hard-working. So why then, when Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day came around on Jan. 16, was it basically ignored by my peers–with some students and teachers claiming they “earned” the day off? The holiday was designed to celebrate MLK’s work toward desegregating the U.S. It’s not an earned holiday; rather, one that’s true meaning should be celebrated–not circumvented. 

   The same happened when Tyre Nichols was murdered on Jan. 7. Instead of advocating for black voices, people cared more about posting that the Chiefs would be competing in Super Bowl ⅬⅤⅠⅠ on their social media accounts. I personally saw 2 posts about Nichols and 23 about the Chiefs flooding my feed that day. 

    The painful truth is black people are still being killed because of the color of their skin. It’s still not safe for people like me to go about our day, in fear of facing the same fate as Breonna Taylor or Tyre Nichols; George Floyd or Karon Blake. 

   By continuing to ignore or refute certain identity groups, our society will continue to dwindle. I truly believe one’s education plays a crucial role in the perception of the world around them. By taking off the blinders and educating ourselves, we can continue down a path of peace–rather than one littered with the carnage of innocent lives.