1/I have been quiet the past few weeks. I have always held the conviction that there is a time for everything, which includes a time to be quiet.

2/ My paternal grandmother got her wings two weeks ago and while she lived a robust long life, the loss is bittersweet. In the end, I am grateful for her life and example. I am committed to honoring her with my life.

3/To this end, in my quiet, I have been listening and reflecting. My reflection this morning rests on narrative.

4/ The coronavirus ravaged through the nation, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of our family, friends lost and colleagues. The nation has been in a perpetual stage of mourning. The nation has been on the brink of uncertainty.

5/A vaccine for COVID is secured & the media keeps using the word “quickly”, but there was nothing quick about the construction of this vaccine. As Dr. Peter Hotez reminds, on 2003, when SARS hit - the NIH committed funds and resources to start the investigation of coronavirus.

6/ There has been 17 years of learning, failing & perfecting our understanding of how to tackle this class of viruses. This should serve as a reminder that most things rarely happen overnight. There is usually a beautiful struggle and story behind every transformative invention.

7/ Now that the vaccine is here, those with the power to shape narrative are now working to convince Black folk to take the vaccine. This is an important discussion.

8/What is also important is to acknowledge the past and very present harms that have deleteriously impacted Black people. Slavery, governmental experiments and very present day health disparities (Black folks were impacted by and died from the virus at an alarming rate).

9/Black folks are more likely to be under insured, under employed, food insecure. The conversation continues to center Black folk as the problem as opposed to truthfully acknowledging that a system on intentional exclusion& harm is the issue,also known as systemic racism &trauma.

10/There is no vaccine for racism, but much like the intentional, thoughtful, collaborative, multi-generation and cross-cultural process that went into constructing the COVID vaccine - this same spirit and energy must be committed to deconstructing racism.

11/The persistent pandemic is racism.

12/We live in a world where everyone has a platform. It feels noisy. I respect quiet and also appreciate that there is a time to speak. Narrative matters. Who controls narrative matters.

13/When we deal in truth, we move closer to reconciliation. Truth is that Black folks have legitimately been hurt and are still hurting. The questions are where is the hurt? Why the pain? Where is the need? See me, hear me, care for me.

14/Black folks aren’t the problem. Check the narrative and assumptions, honor truth and folks. Everyone wants and deserves healing and to live a healthy long life, Black folk included. That’s the truth.

#TraumaInformedHealer