Did you know Memorial Day was started to honor 265 black men killed during the Civil War? These Black Union soldiers were captured prisoners of war held in a Confederate camp. They were buried carelessly in a mass grave. After the war, the community banded together and dug them up- giving each their own sacred burial space and focused efforts on a day of rememberance. We remember these brave men today. We nod in reverence to their sacrifice in hopes that the rest of us could be free. We reflect upon how black men & women since the Civil War have had their lives stolen due to senseless & horrific violence caused by white supremacy. How many more black & brown bodies do we need to dig up & give homage to the sacrifice of their bodies to an undulating wave of hate in this country? Hatred of the negro is how this country was able to develop as a superpower & it’s not lost on us. Just like Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” black people want their “pound of flesh” regarding our collective struggle to continue to make this country great. Instead of retribution, we will gladly accept equity in all things- economic, education, corporate capitalism, & housing. Not a difficult ask in our eyes, but the perceived struggle is insurmountable for those in power- and therein lies an unfathomable conundrum… these two forces will eventually clash like David & Goliath. We all know how that turned out… So we wait. We hope for sensible minds to come to the table of reasoning. We pray. We build. We survive.