On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. His death sparked worldwide protests, and reinvigorated Black Lives Matter, possibly the largest civil rights movement in history. How did the global pandemic coincide with this? Is there any correlation between the two historic events? Coronavirus has exposed the fragility and flimsiness of our government and society, and our entire lives are in limbo. Crippling uncertainty, the inevitability of deaths which we have never previously experienced and a complete loss of control have made everyone very, very vulnerable. And this vulnerability, this uncertainty, is what creates a connection between privileged white communities, and people of colour. The black community is disregarded, discredited, disrespected every day. The government has never prioritised them. When we lose the constant, time consuming routines we live in, we are forced to bring our attention to the reality of our society, and its crippling systemic racism. This pandemic has created such an astronomical change to our daily lives, relationships, jobs and our way of life, that people are more willing to accept new opinions and new experiences. Society as a whole begins to see the benefit of change. BLM has truly pushed society out of its nest, and forced it to fly.
Written by Isa Edwards Buesa
Artwork by Isabel
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