There are 8 billion people in this world and to think there aren’t many people who come together in solidarity. Solidarity is unity of feelings or actions with people who have the same interests. As humanity expands not everyone stands up for what they believe in, not everyone shares their opinion. When trying to stop injustices, it doesn’t always end peacefully, it even doesn’t start off peacefully, but there are ways to end them without the violence and the purposeless ways. Never keep your guard down, and take pride and dignity for who you are.

I’m a teen, a black teen, and in today’s society not many people care about what black teens have to say. My family and I would get stared at when we go out for breakfast at Tank and Libby’s and we were the only colored people there. I always felt uncomfortable, but  that doesn’t stop me from being who I am or wanting to be another skin tone. Some other teens, who looked like me, and I wrote stories about all the times African American men and women were arrested, like the Central Park Five or Kalief Browder, who were accused for committing a crime they didn’t commit. These men were just kids who didn’t get to graduate high-school yet and their childhood was ruined! We wanted the world to read and hear about what went on in the past and still goes on in the future. They kept their dignity up like my family and I in the diner. I know not all people are the same and that they think alike, but we wanted to come together and get people to listen to the things black people went through and have all the kids of many races learn and understand that not everyone has an easy life.

Solidarity is a small thing in humanity. Not many think of ways to keep the world peaceful while sharing their beliefs or protesting. When doing a protest become a peace-maker, when building a solidarity think of the improvement and the purpose of why you’re doing it. Have pride and dignity within yourself, but think of others and build and expand a solidarity around you, peacefully. When you’re doing it, stand up…together.

Maya D.