You Are Not Alone

     I've created shrines with the "You Are Not Alone" message for ages. The meanings of the shrines and their words are always up to the interpretation of the person who holds them. For so long, I thought this one only meant "I've been where you are now & I have experienced the same odds that challenge you." Certainly it can still represent that perspective.
     But after George Floyd's murder on May 25th, my awareness of racism in the US has expanded.  I have realized "you are not alone" shouldn't be limited to that perspective. Instead, it can also be translated as: "What you're facing matters to me too.  It is not necessary to have had your experiences in order to know the only right thing to do is to fight racism & seek justice. I am here for the long journey ahead. Protecting your life, demanding justice for lives lost, and fighting for necessary changes that guarantee lives will be lived to their highest potential are my responsibility too. What you're facing is a battle for us all to face. In order for you to know this,  I must prove this: You Are Not Alone."