It was the same hatred in the man who killed Medgar and many others because of their skin color that we saw kill George Floyd on May 25.

I fear daily for the two young Black men that I helped to raise, along with my partner, brothers, nephews, cousins, friends, colleagues, and all those who carry the title “Black Man” or “Black Boy” in America.

Every day, I live in fear for our Black men and boys in this country; known and unknown, because of this wicked, abiding hatred.

Until that time, when we are truly free from racism, discrimination, police brutality, killings and fear for our Black men and boys walking the street . . .

We Hurt, We Cry, and We Continue to Ask, Why?

Naive and ignorant of the things that waited for me in the wild,

I never understood the importance of my mother’s home,

Until now that I have a child of my own,

He’s naive just like me,

And thinks he’s invincible with not a worry in his heart,

I’ve tried to prepare him as best I can from the start,

But still young people have to live, and learn on their own,

So, every day I sit and pray, that my child makes it home,

Every day when he leaves for school, I pray that I will see him soon,

Anytime he leaves for work, I pray that he will not be hurt,

When I don’t hear from him and feel the fear, I cry a mother’s cry, asking God to bring him here,

On Friday nights when the worry never stops, tick tock I watch the clock, and pray to God,

A ring of the phone will make my heart drop, I might collapse if I hear a knock,

But when I hear that knob turn, my prayers have been answered cause my child has returned,

He has no idea when he sees my eyes, just how much a Black mother cries.