Just in Case

Dear White friends,

You can not conceive of how exhausting and frightening it is to raise a black child in America.

Yesterday I got a frantic call from Q who was walking home from school with a friend.

Q is 12 and in 6th grade.

Some older teens (also walking home, but not with Q) stole a shopping cart and were throwing it around the street.

Stupid, juvenile and not the end of the world.

But these were black kids.

And then police came.

The older kids were about a block and a half behind Q.

He wanted to let me know, just in case, that he hadn’t done anything wrong.

He wanted to review, just in case, what he should do if police stopped him too.

He wanted to practice, just in case, how he should tell the police that he would not answer any questions until his mother, who is a lawyer, is present.

His friend then borrowed Q’s phone to call his mom too and let her know what was happening.

Just in case.

I do not suppose, white friends, that you have a police contact action plan for your children.

Don’t do anything wrong

Don’t hang out with anyone who did anything wrong

Don’t run

Don’t put your hands in your pocket

Be polite

Tell them your name

Ask for a lawyer

Hope for the best

Make it home safe

Just in case