Growing up Black in America

Social justice advocate shares what it is like growing up Black in America

DRAMATIC AND SOMETIMES VIOLENTSCENES HAVE PLAYED OUT -- ONSTREETS -- ALL ACROSS AMERICA-- AND HERE IN TUCSON.

BUT ONEMAN WANTS TO SEE A SHIFT INACTION -- THAT COULD HAVELONG-LASTING IMPACT.

KGUN9'SLUZDELIA CABALLERO BRINGS US-- HIS STORY.DR DAMOND HOLT IS A MAN WHOSEWORKED HARD TO EARN A P-H-D--TO BETTER HIMSELF AND GIVE HISFAMILY A GOOD LIFE, BUT HESAYS THE RACISM THAT SURROUNDSHIM EVERY DAY, MAKES IT HARDTO BREATHE.

HE SAYS THIS ISWHAT ITS LIKE GROWING UPBEING BLACK IN AMERICA.

THECODE IN THE STREET WAS, YOUBETTER NOT BE IN THOSETERRITORIES WHEN THE SUN GODOWN.

DR. DAMOND HOLT WAS BORNAND RAISED IN FLINT MICHIGAN.SO IM FROM THE HOOD.

RAISEDIN THE AREAS OF POVERTY ANDVIOLENCE, AND WE HAD HIGHRACISM.

SO CURFEW FOR HIM WASALWAYS EARLY...HE SAYS, THATSWHAT ITS LIKE GROWING UPBLACK IN AMERICA.

BECAUSE WEKNEW THE POLICE WAS GOING TOBE PICKING ON US, HARASSINGUS, OR EVEN TRYING TO TAKE USTO JAIL...BECAUSE OF RACIALBIAS, PEOPLE LOOK AT DARK SKINAS AGGRESSION.

DR DAMOND HOLTBELIEVED IN THE POWER OFEDUCATION AND WENT ON TO GETHIS P-H-D IN COUNSELINGPSYCHOLOGY -- BUT HE SAYS EVENHIS DEGREE COULDN'T SHIELD HIMFROM RACISM.

IVE HAD POLICEOFFICERS PULL ME OVER FOR NOREASON.

WANT TO KNOW WHY DO IHAVE THE CAR THAT I HAVE.

UH,BECAUSE I WENT TO SCHOOL ANDIM EDUCATED AND I WORKED HARDTO GET WHERE IM AT.

THATSWHY.

NOW FAST FORWARD TO MAY25TH 2020-- THE DAY GEORGEFLOYD WAS KILLED BY A POLICEOFFICER.

BLACK AMERICA ISUPSET.

THIS IS 400 YEARS OFOPPRESSION AND WE STILL TOTHIS DAY DEALING WITH THEAFTERMATH OF EFFECTS OF PEOPLENOT RESPECTING.

PEOPLE NOTMAKING SURE WE HAVE JUSTICE.PEOPLE NOT MAKING SURE WE HAVEEQUALITY IN BLACK AMERICA.NATS I CANT BREATHE.

IT WASSOMETHING ABOUT SEEING NINEMINUTES OF SOMEONES LIFEBEING TAKEN AND IT WASGRUELING.

IT WAS DEMONIZING.IT WAS JUST HORRIFIC AND ITWAS TRAUMATIZING TO AMERICA.SO WEVE SAID ENOUGH ISENOUGH.

AND SO PEOPLE ALLAROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING INTUCSON, HAVE TAKEN TO THESTREETS TO STAND UP AGAINSTPOLICE BRUTALITY ANDINJUSTICE.

WERE PROTESTING SOWE CAN CHANGE POLICY.

HERESWHAT DR. HOLT SAYS YOU CAN DOTO JOIN THE MOVEMENT WE HAVETO CHANGE OUR MARCH TO AMEETING, WE HAVE TO SHIFT OURANGER TO AN AGENDA, AND WEHAVE TO MOVE FROM PROTESTINGTO SHIFTING POLICY.

AND LETSSET SOME NEW LEGISLATION THATREVERSES ANY TYPE OFLEGISLATION THAT EMPOWERSINSTITUTIONAL RACISM IN OURSTATE AND IN OUR COUNTRY.

BUTHE SAYS NONE OF THIS ISPOSSIBLE WITHOUT EQUITY ANDJUSTICE FOR ALL.

THE HEALINGFOR RACISM CANNOT START UNTILWE FINALLY GET JUSTICE AND WEGET EQUALITY FOR OUR COUNTRYAND FOR BLACK AMERICANS.LUZDELIA CABALLERO, KGUN9 ONYOUR SIDE.AN UPDATE NOW -- ON THE