Sonja Massey

Sonja Massey Moments Before She is Murdered by Sean P. Grayson

I realize I’m behind in addressing this subject. I really had to sit with this one for a while before I had the mental or emotional capacity to speak on it. My last blog post was about Roger Fortson, a black man shot in his own home by police. That happened on May 3rd. On July 6th Police were called to the home of Sonja Massey with reports of a possible intruder. Sonja opened the door peacefully, while she had dinner cooking on the stove, and allowed the officers into her home. While one officer cleared the house for intruders or other suspects, Sean Grayson spoke to Sonia in her home. As Sonja went to remove the boiling water that she was using to cook dinner, from the stove, Grayson" “felt threatened” by Sonja's behavior, drew his weapon, And shot three times striking Sonja one time in the face. The officer has been charged.

Here we are once again. A black person shot in their own home by a police officer. It's the story we keep reliving month after month, year after year. The only thing that changes is the community. Other than that the story remains the same. Black person, white cop, murder. Black person, white cop, murder. It's like the worst song that you can't get out of your head, replaying itself over and over until you become numb to its effects. Until you become numb to the tune behind the words. The tune behind the words of police brutality and murder, is systemic and systematic racism. That tune carries behind every law enforcement agency, every prison and jail and every encounter that police have with citizens.

As a black woman, the tune is one I can't block out. I see the notes every time I leave my house. I see the notes every time a police officer pulls up behind me. Knowing full well that the song of my life can crescendo and cease with one wrong answer, with one wrong move, with one wrong 911 call. Each time the song ends with the crescendo of a bullet being fired or whispers of “I can’t breathe” the outcry of injustice begins. The weeping in the streets, the outrage, the protests, the riots begin; and even in those we’re told to “get over it”. “Just don't resist.” “The police are just doing their job”. “Why do you have to bring race into everything?” These are the lyrics to the tune that replays itself time and time again until we're numb. It's time to change the tune. Time that we develop new lyrics. And the only way that we can do that is if we dismantle the choir.

Deb Anyaibe

'“Florida Airman Killed in Florida Police Shooting”. Hurt but Not Shocked

It’s a never ending story that is told with different names behind a hashtag. Police kill. . . Insert another innocent black mans name here.

Free Palestine Protesters in Amsterdam

On May 3, 2024 Police went to the house of Roger Fortson. He was on facetime with his girlfriend as he answered the door with his legally registered weapon by his side. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and as is his to bear arms, he armed himself for protection keeping the gun in a safe position. As he opened the door, the police man shot him dead. Roger Fortson was a 23-yer-old active duty Senior Airman. The police, once again, had the wrong house.

So, now what? Another police man on paid administrative leave? Another “I was afraid for my life and reacted in self defense”? Another story in the long list of stories with no justice? Every time a story like this comes out, the black community cries out for justice. Justice for the murder victim, justice for the family, and justice for the black community. But we never get it. We get more stories of police brutality, we get more hashtags, more videos of black men being murdered at the hands of those supposed to protect them, but we never get justice. As a mother of two black boys myself it always traumatizes me when another hashtag appears. I imagine my child's name at the end of that hashtag, I imagine the pain, the AGONIZING pain that that mother must feel. No amount of hashtags will bring her son back. No amount of Instagram or Facebook posts will relieve her suffering. That mother has to spend the rest of her days with only the memory of her child, with the memory that her 23 year old, law abiding son was taken from her as a result of police stupidity, incompetence, and systemic racism.

Unfortunately, we are going to continue to see The murders of black people at the hands of police. We're going to continue to see it because changes aren't being made. People see the videos, the proof of cold blooded murder, and they heart the video or they share it to their stories and their life moves on. They wait for the next murder to be outraged all over again while taking no action in the meantime. No one is holding the justice system accountable. No one is screaming for systemic reform of the justice system. We simply watch and wait for the next tragic story to say “ Again? How does this keep happening? That's so sad. #NewNameNewFace”. And then we sit, and we wait and we hope that our child’s name is not behind the next hashtag.

Change has to come. It needs to come swiftly and harshly. Police need to be fired and held accountable for the lives that they're taking unjustly. The system that allows this police brutality to continue to occur needs to be held to account. The entire system as it stands now needs to be dismantled, torn apart, and rebuilt with the sole purpose of protecting innocent lives. No justice no peace! We the people.

Deb Anyaibe

Kaleidoscope Stands with Palestine and Against Genocide

Over the last several months, all eyes have been on Palestine and the ongoing genocide. Many times genocide is silent and carried out over generations. This torment has been swift and unforgiving. We at Kaleidoscope stand with Palestine.

Free Palestine Protesters in Amsterdam

Diversity and Inclusion spans much further than the borders of the US. It is a worldwide need for equity and the positive impact that true equity creates. The conflict in Palestine is far beyond what we can call unequitable. It is GENOCIDE, it is MURDER, these are WAR CRIMES. As the United States leadership supports Israel in the murder and sacrifice of children and babies, the rest of the country stands up in opposition to the choices our government is making.

Protests are occurring at Collages and Universities around the country and the world. These protesters are being harassed and assaulted by police and counter protesters in an attempt to silence voices that were promised free speech. What we have learned is that, our speech is not free. It comes at a very high price. The price of harassment, the price of assault, the price of arrest and even the price of death.

And this is where we are equal. We are equal in the eyes of law enforcement and leadership when our voices come together in opposition to genocide, murder, police brutality, the loss of black lives, unfair housing, illegal voting practices. Keep speaking out! It is our right, it is our duty! Each step we take in the right direction will create a more equitable world for all of us. CEASEFIRE! FREE PALESTING NOW!

Deb Anyaibe

The NAACP Rightly Stands Up for Diversity in College Sports

The NAACP has issued a powerful statement urging Black student-athletes to think twice before attending public colleges and universities in Florida that have dismantled their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. This call to action shines a necessary spotlight on the alarming crackdown against these vital initiatives in the state.

NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

DEI efforts are not about politics or ideology - they are about fostering inclusive, welcoming environments that allow students of all backgrounds to thrive. For Black athletes specifically, having robust support systems, representative mentors, and an organizational commitment to their belonging can make a huge difference in their overall experience and ability to succeed both athletically and academically.

Without DEI programs, colleges and universities send the deeply troubling message that they do not prioritize the wellbeing and advancement of their minority students. This is unacceptable, especially given the immense value that talented Black athletes bring to marquee sports programs through their skills, labor and economic contributions. These young people deserve to compete at institutions that are proactively dismantling barriers and cultivating equitable opportunities.

The NAACP is absolutely right to draw a line in the sand and encourage Black athletes to avoid campuses that have deprioritized inclusion and diverse representation. Athletic departments should see this as a wakeup call - reinvest in DEI or risk being left behind as athletes flock to programs that do embrace these positive principles. Diversity is a societal asset, not something to be banned through misguided legislation.

Deborah Anyaibe