We deserve to live in a world where there's no impunity, but beyond this question of impunity, there are all these structures that are actually doing a disservice to our people. When we say 'Black Lives Matter,' we're not saying that any other life doesn't matter. Yesterday was the first time I cried for joy (after the protests in early June). - Opal Tometi We actually know that all lives do matter. We created a platform. This site uses the cookies. To fully understand the black immigrant experience in the U.S., we must understand it not in contrast to the African-American experience, but central to it. All Opal Tometi Quotes and Sayings - find your favorite inspirational quotes! "The reality is this is a peaceful human rights movement led by incredibly courageous black people. I challenge us all to have the courage of our convictions to fight for a fair, justice and inclusive society. And it hasn't worked for us for generations - let's be very, very honest about that. We can't continue to sit on our hands and sit idly by as people are being brutalized, disenfranchised, and left out of the system. Opal Tometi. They were quite literally created in order to capture enslaved Africans. She is a co-founder of Black Lives Matter. I think the two-party system isn't working for us. Black Lives Matter is really an affirmation for our people. Black Lives Matter is really an affirmation for our people. They were quite literally created in order to capture enslaved Africans. For the U.S., a nation that boasts of being the land of the free, it does not live up to its ideal. What we are oftentimes reminding people of is the fact that the history of police in the U.S. was that they were slave patrols. Police cannot be allowed to continue aggressive, violent, and often unconstitutional policing with impunity. Opal Tometi is a New York-based Nigerian-American writer, strategist and community organizer. It's a love note for our people, but it's also a demand. We came in as organizers before creating the Black Lives Matter network and project, and we are still organizers, strategists, political thinkers, and philosophers, so we actually have a lot ideas and a lot of really thought out strategies. Use this code for embedding the Quote anywhere. The best thoughts from Opal Tometi, Writer from the United States Quotations by Opal Tometi, Activist, American, Born July 9, 1985. My parents migrated to Phoenix, AZ, in the '80s, and I watched them work tirelessly to provide for me and my siblings as they encouraged us to pursue our dreams. If things aren't working for us, it is our duty to rise up. I am the executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, which is the country's only national immigrant rights organization for black immigrants and African Americans. Knowing that there is a community of people on every corner of this planet that believes in justice, that is willing to sacrifice, and that is willing to take a stand is the most heartening thing. Only when the oppressed are heard can we have an honest solutions based dialogue. That has never, ever been our message. View the list If black lives mattered, I believe that policing and immigration enforcement would not be the devastating force that it is in our communities. We deserve a multiracial democracy that works for all of us. The U.S.' refusal to acknowledge the plight of displaced Haitians and maintaining inhumane practices of neglect, disrespect, and violence amounts to a gross violation of human rights. And we must pursue systemic accountability to fix it. Created by Final Level. Our message has always been from a place of love. Our message has always been from a place of love. We must create a committee to address the long-standing discrimination against black people in America. Black Lives Matter has been viral, and people are taking it, appropriating it, and using it however they see fit. Being the daughter of Nigerian immigrants really drove me to do this type of work. It's a love note for our people, but it's also a demand. © Citatis, 2017-2020. The black immigrant experience in the U.S. must be understood not in contrast to the African American experience but as an integral part of it. Only when the oppressed are heard can we have an honest solutions based dialogue. 9. Trump's racism has clearly driven his policy decisions during his first year in office - from his Muslim ban and his despicable treatment of DREAMers to his ruthless ramp-up of immigration raids and the callous termination of protections for Haitians and Salvadorans who fled natural disaster and violence. Black Lives Matter (BLM) was founded in 2012 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, ... BLM has faced criticism over the years for its controversial statements and quotes. That has never, ever been our message. I challenge us all to have the courage of our convictions to fight for a fair, justice and inclusive society. We can't continue to sit on our hands and sit idly by as people are being brutalized, disenfranchised, and left out of the system. When I think about their various acts of courage, it reminds me that I am not alone and that we can do even more, and we deserve more, so we have to keep going. Fortunately, the leadership of black immigrant communities has always been present in all black liberation movements from leaders like Marcus Garvey to Shirley Chisholm to Malcolm X and Harry Belafonte. We deserve a multiracial democracy that works for all of us. We must create a committee to address the long-standing discrimination against black people in America. Being the daughter of Nigerian immigrants really drove me to do this type of work. We know that the system was not designed for justice for us. It's a love note for our people, but it's also a demand. Opal Tometi (born August 15, 1984) is a Nigerian-American black human rights activist, writer, strategist, community organizer, and a co-founder of Black Lives Matter. I think it's really important that we understand the ways in which blackness plays out, right, and discrimination against black people impacts different communities in different ways but ultimately leaves them undermined and really devalued in our society. From my youngest brother to immigrant women to black queer folks, those are the people who keep me going. We know that the system was not designed for justice for us. When we say 'Black Lives Matter,' we're not saying that any other life doesn't matter. Believe Black I Believe That Force. The U.S. has long characterized Haitian immigrants as criminals. This is what Black Lives Matter is truly about. What we are oftentimes reminding people of is the fact that the history of police in the U.S. was that they were slave patrols.