Black Lives Matter- research and awareness

Be Nice

This is less of a research thing and more of something I'd just like to say. I'm going mostly by experiences in my own life and school.

    Be nice to each other. Please. It's a lot more fun than being mean, trust me.

    People can be amazing. You just have to see beyond what you've made them out to be inside your head.

    Don't call people derogatory things. It's just not nice and it's racist. The n word isn't cool. It's offensive. Don't say it.

    On that note, don't joke about it either. It's not funny. Humor doesn't have to mean joking about race, or sexuality, or gender.

    Don't judge people by stereotypes. Don't judge people, learn about them. There's a difference between judging and understanding.

    Don't joke about race in a stereotypical way. It's not cool. People find it offensive. Again, humor shouldn't bring people down. Humor should make people laugh. Stereotyping isn't funny.

    Making someone's race, religion, culture, sexuality, or gender identity the star of your joke isn't appreciated. It's wrong. Find humor that's funny to everyone, not just to people who look like you.

    People of Color face racism all the time, and when we are insensitive and joke about things we shouldn't, we're part of the problem.

    Why do we have to bring people down? Let's learn to lift each other up instead. It'll make for a much better world. It'll make for a safer world for all. And if we as teenagers or young adults can start learning to accept each other now, we'll shape a better world for us as adults. If we grow up still stereotyping and thinking in insensitive ways, then racism can never truly die.

Also, try as much as possible to be nice to yourself. It's easier to learn from a nice teacher than a mean one, right? Same goes for the way you talk to yourself. Understand that you want to learn and grow. That'll actually allow you to make a change.

    So let's make that change. Let's start being nice. Let's stop saying derogatory words and make our presence a welcome one for all.

    This is just a little side note, but I find that the people at my school tend to not shy away from saying f****t in full. Don't do that, it's offensive to people and can actually really hurt someone. While some people may just rub it off, it can actually really really hurt another. It's offensive and not welcome. I've also heard people joke about the n word. Again, please don't do that. It's offensive and not welcome. You can really really hurt someone by doing that.

    Side note over. Stay safe! Love you all!
    - Nova