After weeks of protests against police brutality and racism in the US, politicians in Congress took the first step in proposing legislation to reform the police. Lawmakers stood in the same choke-hold position for eight minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd before proposing the Justice in Policing Act 2020 bill, which would make it easier to prosecute officers for misconduct, require officers to use bodycams, and ban the use of chokeholds to apprehend suspects.

In Louisville, Kentucky, Breonna’s Law, a ban on no-knock warrants was also passed. Though a step in the right direction, the law is no substitute for arresting the officers who killed Breonna Taylor.

In New York, lawmakers passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act, which criminalizes the use of chokeholds that result in injury or death.

As everyone comes together all as one, marching to demand a change that ends police brutality and finally hold police officers accountable, and calls for transparency, we are witnessing the power our voice holds in creating concrete, long-lasting change. History is repeating itself before justice is being served.

If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention. don’t act like this is a situation you cannot understand. Silence isn’t an option, it’s time to talk. Not about what you can post on your story, but about what you can do outside of social media to make a change. Being quietly non-racist isn’t enough, we must be vocally ANTI-racist. We need to speak out, whether you have a platform or not. If you are unable to go out and protest there are many other things you can do to help make a change, you can donate, educate yourself, reflect, and sign petitions. My heart falls heavy for the lives of many innocent people that have and continue to be lost due to racism, and at the fact that racism is still very much a problem in today’s society.