Link about racial abuse

A black young man lives next door to me, recently graduated from high school, bringing his girlfriend around. I've known him since he was fourteen, and the sweetness of his smile is a gift every time I see him. I fear for him, and grieve for the racism he already experiences.

Clear, direct, heartbreaking. Stanford professor H. Samy Alim writes "#WeAreTrayvonMartin: Breaking the silence around racial abuse." (Article contains descriptions of racism and violence.)

[T]he murder of Trayvon Martin provides us with a moment to deal with the personal and collective trauma of racial abuse. Very rarely are our narratives of racial abuse and racial violence heard in the public sphere. [...] By sharing our narratives, we can begin showing how systems of racial abuse create traumatic memories for some, deep depression and hopelessness in others, and a silencing of our collective suffering around issues of racialized violence."

via Shakesville Trayvon Martin link roundup