Just Donovan: Yet Another Shooting of an Unarmed Black Man Reminds Me Why I Left America

It’s miraculous how numb I have become.

The news that yet another unarmed young black man was killed by terrorism police When you grow up in a black body, it becomes white noise.

Donovan Lewis. 20-year-old.shot in his bed August 30, 2022 around 2:00 am columbus,Ohio.

No firearms were found in the home.

And even with these facts, I’m still searching for further information to justify the murder of someone who’s not of legal drinking age in America. is still grappling with the notion that a life is stolen before it’s given a chance to defend its innocence.

until you see body camera video.

In that case, it is clear that no value is placed on that life in the first place. And rationality fades away, revealing the fundamental truths we’ve been telling through our actions and words since we first set foot on American soil.

we are not wanted

our joy. our passion. our pain. our understanding. our creativity.

People who look like Donovan and myself are rarely winners, and it’s only appreciated once they’re used for larger systems. (Hint: the system starts with the letter C and ends with Apitalism)

But I digress.

Instead, let’s focus on the elements overlooked by these police firings and the accompanying systems that allow such operations to continue to thrive. Human race. Or more specifically, lack thereof.

In the words of Donovan’s motherRebecca Duran, when Donovan was shot in his bed by Columbus officer Ricky Anderson, “There was no attempt to save his life. [immediately] They beat him, handcuffed him, turned him over in his bed.” Durand, a medical worker, said in body camera footage that officers at the scene told Donovan to “stop resisting.” Although screaming, Lewis’ body was already limp, stating that it was his own weight they were fighting.

After these incidents occurred inside the house, the police took Lewis out of the apartment and laid him outside on the lawn.

Donovan’s mother and attorney Rex Elliott plan to file a civil rights lawsuit against Anderson and the city of Columbus for the wrongful shooting and abuse of her 20-year-old pregnant father.

Donovan Lewis was the most extreme dehumanization. dangerous Also Resistant to the rule of law. But we all know the bottom line here. It’s a metaphor that countless African Americans faced when growing up in a country like America. What the American system often predetermines is how our elders will extend our lives beyond the lifespan of our twenties.

Simply being in a black body is a radical act in America.

A body that instills fear, hatred, and anger in the hearts and minds of those trusted to uphold a system designed to protect and serve, but instead ignores and kills.

It almost amazes me how easily writing these words can evoke feelings of frustration, disappointment, and betrayal. Ever since I became aware and understood my identity as an African-American in today’s world, I seem to know them very well.

See, I don’t live in America – at least not anymore.

About six years ago, when I left America at the age of 15, I realized the nuances of being black. For example, dodging the police when no crime is committed, or choosing your words wisely when speaking to a Southern bigot. – It can feel like a game at times, but you really can’t win. I’ve seen that the greater your compassion and intelligence as a black person, the greater the target to shoot us down in the street, car, or bed… Here’s the list on and on.

So instead of continuing to lace up every day to contest even the simplest and most mundane things, I chose to take a deep breath and leave. Seeking a new reality where we are born and actually given humanity as our birthright.

The journey since we left has been less than perfect, lined with roses and cotton candy. But since hearing the story of the first unarmed black man shot in my life many years ago, I’ve been given what I’ve been looking for… given a chance.

A chance to learn about the world and yourself without fear of being attacked for loving or learning too much.

An opportunity to keep things simple.

That’s all I really want. Just be.

Because, in the words of Donovan’s mother, I let him rest this SundayHe wasn’t America’s most wanted man. He was just Donovan.”