efore the brutal murder of George Floyd a few days ago, on March 16, 2020, our 13-year old daughter won a monetary prize from her formidable school district (Littleton Elementary School District) for a field trip to Washington DC. We are thankful to this great district for this opportunity. When she came back from school to tell me she won the prize, I knew she has moral and social activism in her.

Tami's presentation won the monetary prize for the best video presentation on why a field trip to Washington DC is important. Tami related her response to how it's important for her to visit Martin Luther King's memorial because he fought for people of her race.Her trip to Washington was also very memorable because she was able to visit Martin Luther Kings Memorial and was able to relate all that she learned from her Social Studies class with all that she saw in Washington and what Martin stood for.

In retrospect, Tami's 2014 ace letter to Michelle Obama at the White House on the Kidnapped Chibok girls in Nigeria when she was 8-year old got her an archived letter and memorabilia (a story for another day) from the White House. Michelle Obama, the wife of the US President, Barack Obama sent her the letter and memorabilia. I am a very frugal and shy person when it comes to celebrating my personal achievement but I am always impassioned to celebrate other people in society. I couldn't resist publishing Tami's short essay "(I CAN'T BREATHE) on the death of George Floyd to encourage us. Her short piece brought tears ?? from my eyes. For the avoidance of selfishness, Tami's natural passion for humanism through care and love; the substance and imports of her short essay I think was necessary to be published for the world to see and read.

Tami's letter brought more tears to my soaked up teary eyes when she gave me this letter to read. Black Americans shouldn't be afraid to see themselves, and their children on the streets, at homes, on the roads, and at schools get brutalized by the agents of institutionalized racism in America. Black lives matter; all lives matter! Every man irrespective of your color should have an inalienable right to flourish in a country we all love---the United States of America.

• Yahaya Balogun

Tami's short essay is published below:

"I CAN’T BREATHE"

By Tami Balogun

I can’t breathe…why is society so toxic? Why is being a certain color a death sentence? Is it a crime to be black? Why should people step out of their homes knowing that their lives are being jeopardized; all because of the color of their skin? These are all unanswered questions that should have been answered decades ago, but because of society's ignorance, they remain unanswered.

A black man named George Floyd was killed by 1 policeman, while 3 other policemen witnessed the painful ordeal. He was not resisting arrest at all! George did what he was asked to do, but all of a sudden one of the policemen put his knee on his throat. George was telling the police, “I can’t breathe!” But they did not care one bit. George left his home, not knowing that would be his last time on earth.

Aren’t the police supposed to help save lives, rather than take them? People should NOT BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN!!!! As a teenager, I question whether it's worth it to go out because I am afraid of what could happen as a result of the color of my skin. I shouldn't be made to feel that stepping out of my home could be a risk to my life. Kids and people of color shouldn't live in fear. We are not a threat to society.

Martin Luther King preached and died for equality and justice, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, etc., fought for the exact same thing! I am sick and tired of society's inability to respect others' differences!!! When will it stop? What will it take for mankind to be unified, because I believe that in unity, there is strength!

We must change. Society must change, and that change starts from within you!!!!

Written by Tami Balogun