Originally published July 2016

In the wake of the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the nation has finally reached its breaking point. In the last four-to-five years, young black men from Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, and Eric Garner have lost their lives by the hands of the police.

Individuals who are considered our protectors and guardians of the unjust, yet, it seems they’re predicated on ending the lives of black males. This past weekend was another example of the discriminatory verdicts that lead to the killing of innocent. The entire country has ravished in uproar to address this racial divide, including the city of Columbus, OH.

This past Saturday, hundreds of individuals made their way to the Statehouse as they marched in protest. Multiple news and social media outlets documented the event in their efforts to reach more people within the city. Men and women of all ethnic and racial backgrounds stood as they held posters promoting the campaign, “Black Lives Matter.” Courtney Yuen of nbc4i.com asked Nasia Morgan, who was present at the protest, about the reasoning behind the march.

“In our society, we’re treated as if our life doesn’t matter,” Morgan said. “So, we have to chant that black lives matter. It doesn’t mean that other lives don’t matter. It’s just saying that we matter too.” Morgan continued by stating, “We just want to be treated like humans.”

Morgan’s sentiments reigned heavily among those in attendance, as they asked peacefully for their voices to be heard and for the violence to seize. Dani Edmonds, who organized one of the protests, emphasized how important it was to promote peace, especially with the recent incidents that have occurred throughout the country.

“It’s peace. This is all I’m preaching right here is peace,” Edmonds said. “We do not have to act out in anger to have our voices heard.”

These peaceful protests have also taken place in Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Dallas, which unfortunately resulted in the deaths of two black men and 5 police officers. Therefore, it was important to establish a non-violent mutiny that still substantiated the message we as a nation wanted to convey, and I believe our city did just that. Hopefully, its left a lasting impression on the people of Columbus and our society as a whole.

Yes, ALL lives matter, but it’s the lives of young, black males that have continuously been questioned. These officers need to be reprimanded for their actions, rather than people dying by the hands of officers we entrust with our lives. If not, friends, mothers, spouses and their children will continue to mourn as the injustice continues to divide the black community. Let’s all cultivate as one, and clear the current racial tensions that have plagued our country.