Following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, protests against racist police violence flooded the streets of every borough in New York City, and continue to this day. Our photographers have been out documenting the historic moment, which is part of a larger national, youth-driven movement working to defund the police and end systemic racism. With hundreds of photos, we asked New York City teens to choose one that resonated with them, and write about it. Below is a piece from 19-year-old Aleina D. who is from Queens and attends Swarthmore College.
Burn The Car, We’ll Find A New Way There
“I can’t breathe.” That’s what someone who’s stuck in a fire might say. I. Can’t. Breathe. It’s what many have said when they were held down, stopped from breathing, brutalized, murdered.
The recent protests are a reminder that violence by those in power is not new. History is woven together by courageous acts, many of which include activist efforts such as protests.
I grew up in New York City and attended its public schools. Now, as a college student, I have begun to recognize how limited my understanding of history was. So like many others right now, I am acknowledging this, educating myself, and getting involved. It is hard to grapple with what I am learning and with feelings that I am not doing enough. This has especially been the case as (for personal health and safety reasons) I have decided to not participate in protests. This was an easy decision for me to make, because I know there are several ways to demand more.
I am not anti-police. But calls to “defund the police” resonate with me. I am against police brutality, abuse of power, a lack of accountability, and continuing things that have repeatedly proven not to work (the "definition of insanity," as the saying goes).
I want to feel safe, and to know that others do, too. I want their feelings to be validated by real safety. The harsh reality is that many systems and institutions in our society have failed. Historically marginalized communities are waiting—we stand together, on the streets and in our homes, watching this fire burn night after night.
There are many ways forward: continued protests and activism, support for increased representation across politics, non-profit, and private sectors, investments in communities of color, and a new education system. A society that exists for, and in support of, its citizens. A lot of this is abstract. I certainly don’t have the answers for how to make this happen.
But if there is anything I’ve learned, it is that fires need to happen. It is unavoidable. Not only does fire burn down things that weren’t going to last, it also allows for rebuilding. Fire is as much an end to something as it is a beginning, a light to show us what could be.
The deaths caused by police brutality, physical and of many livelihoods, is the true emergency. Material belongings like a police car set on fire are simply demonstrations that we can’t return the way we came. As the Billy Joel song by the same title says, “We didn’t start the fire.” All that matters is it needs to burn. We'll find a new way there.
