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Story Time: real talk
tw // cops, racism, light violence, blood
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Last night I decided to have dinner with my childhood friend, Diamond, for she was in town and I was bored after watching the Quackity stream. We decided to both ride in her car, she drove. +
tw // cops, racism, light violence, blood
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Last night I decided to have dinner with my childhood friend, Diamond, for she was in town and I was bored after watching the Quackity stream. We decided to both ride in her car, she drove. +
We made the decision to go a few towns over and go to a favorite restaurant of ours from when we were smaller kids. For context, and I normally don't mention this abt her bc that's not the point, Diamond is an African American trans female. As we got closer to the destination +
we were singing along to music and having fun like normal teens would. I noticed a police car driving beside us for a while, but I didn't think anything of it bc we weren't speeding, carrying substances, etc. Just trying to get food. After a few minutes of this cop driving next +
to us, he turned on his lights and started to merge into our lane behind us. I immediately knew what to do, offer to switch seats with her for I am white. She mentioned it was too late bc the cop had probably already seen her in the driver's seat. Before I continue I would like +
to add that I have several African American friends who have been in the same situation and my best friend Emmanuel has experienced this 3 times so I've heard how crazy it can get. I understand my priviledge and I was terrified in this moment watching the cop walk up to the door+
Diamond rolled down her window and the cop asked her, politely, to exit the car. She had her hands on the top of the wheel and carefully moved them towards the door handle. She verbally repeated everything she was doing as she was doing it. The cop never even glanced at me. +
After she was standing outside the car, the cop grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her back. No handcuffs, but still used a great amount of force to shove her onto the hood of the car. At this point I felt completely helpless as I was screaming for him to stop.+
He was whispering something in her ear and I could tell she was in a great amount of pain. I didn't even think to get this on video, or anything, I was so caught up in the moment. I felt like if I stepped out of the car I could put her in more danger or if I just sat there +
I couldn't do anything to help.
A lot of it was a blur after that point. I remember examining her when she got back into the car and she didn't have any major injuries, just bruising and her temple was bleeding a bit. The cop just drove off like nothing happened. +
A lot of it was a blur after that point. I remember examining her when she got back into the car and she didn't have any major injuries, just bruising and her temple was bleeding a bit. The cop just drove off like nothing happened. +
We ended up with me driving her home to her apartment and I was hesitant to leave her alone. She is 17 and lives alone so I felt awful leaving her but she wouldn't let me stay. I understand. I was not the one who was in the hood of the car but it was different than the stories+
Seeing this in person, not on video, not just a tweet, not even hearing it happen to the people you love, but seeing this...
I've been aware it was bad for poc in America for a long time, let alone a trans poc. My point here is, while I still will never know what it feels like +
I've been aware it was bad for poc in America for a long time, let alone a trans poc. My point here is, while I still will never know what it feels like +
to be oppressed or to be shoved up against the hood of my car, or to be suffocated and handcuffed, or to be just jogging and shot down, or to be a kid killed because of a toy gun, or to be shot dead because I was woken up by police raiding my home, I can say full heartedly that +
I will fight until I DIE. I will do whatever the hell it takes for this to never happen again. I'm so sorry it took me this long to TRULY realize, I thought I knew. I thought it was bad already. It's worse. I am so terribly sorry. My heart goes out to all the victims +
friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, the stranger walking past down the street. We need something to change. We NEED justice. Thank you to those who read. <3 keep fighting. please.
