Recently, I was driving with my wife and baby in the car. I drove past a police car and that car ended up driving behind me. My first thought was to get in the slow lane so they could pass me but the issue was, I was on a two-lane road. It wasn't possible for me to let the officer pass me by. At that moment, I started to worry about my safety. In situations like these, you try not to get scared just because you see the police. The thought that "If you're not doing anything illegal then you shouldn't be worried," was out the window. I've seen countless videos of black people being killed by police when they weren't doing anything illegal.

I can admit that most times when the police are behind me or around I get tense because I'm black. This time was much more different. I literally drove constantly wondering if this police officer was going to pull me over. Wondering if they'd view me as a threat no matter how innocent and non-threatening I was. I thought to myself "You have your 4-month-old in the backseat, no human would ever kill you while your baby is in the car." The killing of Philando Castile came to mind and it made me really start to think that I may not make it home. After about 10 minutes of stressing and panicking, the officer turned off onto another street and I began to decompress and really analyze my feelings. I really thought that if that officer pulled me over, I may not make it home. My son may have had to grow up without me in his life. This is a sad reality of black people in America. I was driving the speed limit, no laws were broken yet I was scared for my life because a police car drove behind me. I truly hope this changes in America and the world. There is no reason any human should feel this way because an officer of the law drove behind them. That evening, I kissed my son a little bit more and hugged him extra tight. I almost cried because I thought back to being in that car and feeling like I would never be able to kiss or hug him again.

Let's continue to push for change in America and the world. We have to do our part to end racial injustice, systemic racism, and learn to treat everyone equally.

 

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