“I JUST WANT to LIVE!!!!!”

Ancestor Nina Simone said that, “the responsibility of an artist is to use their platform to reflect the times.” During this fight for the the preservation of black and brown lives, lives which have been killed with impunity, my hope is that we each find a way to use our voices for change. Some will take it to the streets, some will march, some will write books, create music or work to change legislation—we each must use our art to sound the alarm that racism and injustice will no longer be tolerated. Movements are happening across the world to acknowledge the brutality that has been imposed on black and brown bodies for hundreds of years. Thank you to my dear and talented brother Clarence Gabriel who has chosen to create a photo movement called...”#ijustwanttolive”. He asked me to finish this statement “I just want to live to...” and here was my response... “I just want to raise my children in a world that is safe, intolerant of injustice, where the -isms and the -phobias no longer exist, where their humanity is acknowledged & their blackness is not feared but revered.”- Chadra Pittman Thank you Clarence for using your platform in such a powerful way. I am sure Ancestor Nina is proud of you beloved!!! I love you my brother! IG: @ijustwant2live #ijustwant2live #ijustwanttolive photographer: @clrncgbrl 

Dear White America...

Dear White America, We are in the midst of a pandemic and a fight against racial injustice in America and all over the world. This is a time like we’ve never seen before. African descended people aka Black parents have spent generations upon generations talking to our children about the reality of racism and the myriad of inequities that have plagued our collective lives.

Now it’s your turn... European American parents... White parents... Parents of white children... White America... You need to talk to your children IMMEDIATELY!!!! The lack of empathy for a life lost is horrifyingly despicable!!! Seeing images on line with your children mimicking George Floyd’s death and showing their lack of compassion speaks volumes. The names have been blurred bc they are children and faces distorted bc they are children.

I implore you to: 1. Sit them down and educate yourselves and them on the truth about American history, the genocide of Native Americans and the brutal enslavement of Africans. 2. If you are one who believes America is great, well then kindly remind your children that America wouldn’t be so “great” without hundreds of years of free labor by Africans! 3. If you are unable to teach them or yourselves, sign up for an African American history course, visit a Black museum, watch some documentaries on The Burning of Black Wall Street, redlining & institutional systemic racism or attend a lecture to become more informed. This utter ignorance, racism and lack of compassion by these children is a huge problem and they didn’t get this way by themselves. Teach them that white supremacy exists, that it is wrong and that they don’t have to fall prey to that ideology. Teach them to respect all humans and creatures on this Earth and to be good custodian of the planet. Teach them that their skin is of no more value than anyone else’s. The truth is that someone taught them that there is privilege in the pigmentation of their skin color, that this horrific behavior was ok or allowed racism to be spoken in your homes and communities.

Clearly, America and the world has a “race problem”; W.E.B. DuBois said that in The Soul of Black Folk in 1903. The only way we can eradicate racism is if we each do our part & confront it without hesitation! My white comrades and parents, WE need you to do your part!!! THE children, all of our children need us to get this right!!!! The collective future of us ALL is depending on it!!! Thank you! A human being with African and Native roots, Warrior Mother, Intersectional feminist and proud aunt to many wonderful children. Chadra #BlackLivesMatter #Humanity 4 E.V.E.R. The Sankofa Projects