1/ THE ROLE OF FEAR. Some of my friends and colleagues don't appreciate why it feels so intensely personal when I hear a story of African American person I've never met having the police called on them for no definitive reason. Here's one explanation.
2/ It is hard to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it the sensation of humiliation when you see the fear in someone's eyes that isn't caused by anything other than your appearance. Or, more directly, the color of your skin. The experience can be soul-crushing
3/ It's not just that there's no reason for it, though that's bad. It's that there is nothing you can do about it. Every time someone shares a story in a Nextdoor post of a brown person walking and to be careful I think not just of that person, but of everyone who reads it
4/ There's a whole new crop of people who may catch me after a workout and regard me with fear or skepticism because they are brought on edge by some "report." I hope thinking about this topic in this way will help someone understand.
5/ Obviously this isn't to say that one should never report external characteristics or genuinely suspicious behavior. And yes, it is harder to have to think a bit before reporting. But just realize the words we choose matter.
