A Year Later: The Black Lives Matter Movement in Sonoma County 2020

It has been over a year since the Black Lives Matter movement took Sonoma County by storm in 2020 in the beginning the pandemic of racism and COVID-19. As a 26-year-old Black man, I saw a glimmer of hope for my new community. After graduating from Santa Rosa Junior College in May 2020, it was a cold and harsh reality check to witness and experience the community, law enforcements and the president respond so out of touch to the request to acknowledge Black Lives Matter. Out of over 100+ events and protest we held in Sonoma County, over 98 % were peaceful yet according to the Commission on Human Rights of Sonoma County Report released July 2020 that reported the response from local government was illegal, excessive and harmful. After a year of BLM protests, events, and tragedies I am now a Junior at Sonoma State University, after transferring from SRJC. Between the classes, SSU Black faculty and staff that have dedicated themselves to making all students feel welcome and included, yet I can’t help but feel that with campus closed and social distancing in effect the BLM movement has burned out and turned into something just to be agreed with instead of any actual action that is ideal of BLM both at SSU and in Sonoma county. What is happening in this country to Black people are crimes against humanity. A year later. A century later. 400+ years were still fighting for justice and expressing that we want to matter, and experience life, liberty and true freedoms at least. As a Black man, Black lives have NEVER not mattered to myself or my family.