Here’s Why It Hurts When People Say “All Lives Matter”

“Black Lives Matter” Yes, we do. Period. In its simplest definition, to matter means to be of importance, significance, and consequence. And for many in the African-American community, saying “Black Lives Matter” is our way of declaring that we are important, our issues are important, and neither we as individuals, nor the issues that impact us, will be discarded, overshadowed, treated as nonsense, or accused of “playing the race card” anymore. No. We matter.

These words were written 4 years ago as a lead in to my article for Vanity Fair. Attached is the article here. You will find it is more relevant, tragically, today than it was in 2016.