The Black Lives Matter movement is something I've been following closely since the summer of 14'. The hashtag was already being used on twitter the year before during the George Zimmerman trail. At the time I wasn't really using twitter that much, I mainly followed the trail on CNN. I began using twitter as one of my source of learning about events that were not being shown on the news, mainly to see the events unfold during the Israel/Gaza conflict when around 2,300 Palestinians were killed. It was outstanding that people began using Twitter to live tweet events as they were happening, from journalist, citizens from Israel and Gaza, and even doctors. This was also around the same time that Michael Brown was gunned down and his body was left on the street for 4 hours. It wasn't until that summer that I began looking at the #BLM and started to learn about the activist behind the movement. That following fall semester OU had a couple of events hosted in solidarity with other shooting evolving unarmed African Americans. OU has a long history of activism and I was able to be present for a few.
Fast forward to Friday before finals week is Fall semester, I'm leaving work and taking a different route to catch the bus. Sadly I missed the bus and had to walk home, on my way I pass the graffiti wall we have on campus. A couple of students I knew were a part of BSU (Black Student Union) were just finishing up paint the wall with the Power Fist and the #BlackLivesMatter written in white spray paint behind the black wall. I thought this was pretty cool, and planned on coming back to take a picture since my phone was dead. With finals week coming, I forgot to head back to the wall and later that week on Tuesday a group message came through showing that the wall was spray painted over. I wasn't shocked realizing that sometimes other groups paint information on there for different events/causes. But once I zoomed into the picture and saw what was actually spray painted over the mural were some ignorant comments about the movement I was in shock. Who would have the nerve to do that, and also had the time and motivation in the middle of finals week. Of course the black OU students were angry and hurt that someone from our own campus would do this. I understand that some do not agree with the movement and thats fine, but the message they placed on the wall made no sense. BLM is not a way to separate people, it's a movement to bring awareness for something that isn't being talk about more often. That wall has seen a lot of messages that were place on it to bring people together, help bring awareness and has been used by different orgs to promote events on campus. The person that did this clearly did not understand the message, and to be perfectly honest they probably won't care to actually sit down and find resources that are free (Google) and actually learn about the events that lead to that phrase, BLACK LIVES MATTER.
OU was able to bring together a lot of students across campus to meet up and have a discussion about the incident. A panel was assembled with teacher and other faculty members. I was able to go and hear fellow classmates express their thoughts. Keith, a grad student I had an interview with later that day shared a poem he wrote that was from his point of view being from Botswana and coming here to study, it's called 'Broken'.
In the end the hateful act not only brought the community together (during finals week of all time!), it gave me a change to hear a reading from Keith I never would have known about if not for the conversation that came from this. Below is an image I saw today of the wall next to this that was painted by two artist earlier that day that made my week! Not only did it have a positive massage, it really got me pumped for the new 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' movie that is set to come out this December! So thanks you anonymous dirtbag, like the great Yoda said, 'In the end, cowards are those who follow the dark side'.