The Holocaust & Me

(Stand straight and talk gently) My position to the Holocaust being a black woman is very close... Why? (Walk around in thought) Because the Jewish population suffered economic, racial, and cultural genocide and the black population suffered (pretend to read a list): racial, cultural, political, and economic genocide.

(Pause)

(Put hand to chin) you know The holocaust lasted for 13 years and so we have to remember those who died, to never repeat the mistakes of the Nazi’s.(stand firm and confident, beat) and me, a black woman, I have seen and heard the horrors that black people have faced and continue to face today. Black people were enslaved for over 300 years, and then they faced segregation, to finally be freed 60 years later.

But what do you consider freedom when we are stuck in ghettos and our men are faced with harsh punishment and imprisoned more than any race in America. (Pace) (Pretend to put on a hood) Our children are murdered for walking down the street (wounded), (walk with gun pointed) and we are shot and killed by those who are there to (police salute) serve and protect. (Contemplate) They say they assume we are a threat but they don’t get punished for the deaths of the innocent. (Mocking) As long as they look terrified on camera, they must be innocent. (Gets shot) While an unarmed black man lies dead on the street with no medical attention until they are cold and there’s no chance of survival.

(Pause)

(Sits )So I ask, what is freedom when there is no justice? The holocaust was traumatic and I would never want that to happen again. As a black woman I see that we live in a society where people are gunned down daily and when we protest “Black Lives Matter” the only response we get is “ALL Lives Matter”. So… if all lives matter, why are black lives being targeted? If all lives matter, why is there still so much discrimination and stereotyping?

Because we are black we are a threat to the lives of everyone?

NO, because we are black we are assumed to be dangerous because, who wouldn’t be afraid of a black person who has been disrespected, undermined, and murdered senselessly. (beat) But we are the victims not the criminals, we suffer yet we are feared, we are targeted and then blamed for the actions of those who hit us. We live with discrimination, hatred and large forms of segregation still to this day.

But as a black woman that doesn’t stop me, hate fuels my desire to win. Discrimination makes me more determined to reach my goals. And segregation only makes me a proud because I am a threat! Yes I am, a threat. because I use my intelligence to get back at my oppressor and no matter how hard they try to bring us down I. Will. Rise.