June 2020 100 WORD RANTS

Sophia Ibrahim and Ellen Carrier


There’s no one way for a Black person to speak
Written by Sophia Ibrahim
A comment some Black people might get—especially if they grew up/live in a non-predominantly Black neighborhood—is that they don’t “speak Black.” While that comment in and of itself is insulting, the common retort is even more offensive; “Well I’m sorry I speak proper English.” I’m sorry, what? That phrase insinuates that Ebonics isn’t “proper,” is “wrong English.” Ebonics is it’s own language. In English-speaking Caribbean countries, Spanglish is common. It isn’t thought of as “wrong” English, it’s its own entity. How come Ebonics isn’t lent the same consideration? The very concept of “proper” English is used to pit minorities against minorities—especially Blacks against Blacks. There isn’t one way to be Black. We need to stand together to show them that.


BLM is not a trend
Written by Ellen Carrier
The Black Lives Matter movement should be more than just a trend. It’s as if people started to get tired of advocating, like people run out of motivation to work out. In order for a movement to be made, people need to stop “picking up” BLM protests, like a trend. Once you start to support a movement, you can’t just sign off like you are logging out of a game. If minorities can’t “log out” of being discriminated against, those in power can not “log off” the support. Once a contract like this is signed, there shouldn’t be a way out.