My 17 year old student was shot and killed while leaving the funeral of his 18 year old friend, who was also shot and killed. I’m heartbroken, I’m angry, and I’m praying for the city of Albany because the violence and gang war shows no signs of slowing down.

But let me give a history lesson to those who are using this tragedy to discount #BLM & protests against police brutality with their “facts” on “black on black crime”. 1. During the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, gangs of white teenagers terrorized the Black community.

Black youth formed groups for self protection. This violence was not limited to Chicago, and more and more young members of the Black community formed groups for protection, which eventually became gangs in the 1960’s.

2. In the 40’s & 60’s Black gangs emerged AS A RESULT of legislation enforcing social exclusion & segregation.

Establishment of (inadequate) public housing, which has contributed to the racial segregation of communities (even after “separate but equal” was ruled unconstitutional), allowed (and continues to allow) gangs to consolidate their power in Black neighborhoods.

3. In the 1960’s, the Black Panther Party, often referred to as a gang, was founded by Huey Newton & Bobby Seale to challenge police brutality against the Black community. (I wrote a heavily researched paper on the BPP if anyone is interested in more info on them.)

4. Influential Black leaders had been killed: MLK, Jr. Malcolm X. Medgar Evers. Fred Hampton. Police violence against the Panthers increased. Many members of the Black community became cynical about the idea of “freedom”, creating a climate encouraging gang formation.

5. In the 1980’s, cheap crack cocaine was introduced to the streets of American cities. The appeal of the lucrative drug business would draw in new gang members, who had been suffering through high rates of unemployment and poverty.

Crack money was used to buy unprecedented amounts of weaponry. Gangs began to fight over turf to protect their lucrative drug trading and violence skyrocketed.

6. Through the 80’s, 90’s and present day, high unemployment rates, concentrated poverty, police brutality and the social isolation felt by the Black community has created large recruitment markets for street gangs.

Gang violence and “black on black crime” is just another consequence of systemic and structural racism. While increasing gang violence is for sure a problem and needs to be addressed, that doesn’t mean police brutality is not a problem. There are A LOT of fucking problems.

Many of which are a result of the systemic and structural racism plaguing our nation. People love to bring up “black on black” violence as a response to #BLM but won’t talk about how gangs were initially established as protection against the white community & police brutality.

Oh & btw: Black lives still fucking matter.