Over the weekend, the New York Times published an essay by Brent Staples titled “Young, Black, Male, and Stalked by Bias.” The piece has made the rounds on social media. Below are some of the relevant words for me:

Young black men know that in far too many settings they will be seen not as individuals, but as the “other,” and given no benefit of the doubt. By the time they have grown into adult bodies — even though they are still children — they are well versed in the experience of being treated as criminals until proved otherwise by cops who stop and search them and eyed warily by nighttime pedestrians who cower on the sidewalks.

Society’s message to black boys — “we fear you and view you as dangerous” — is constantly reinforced. Boys who are seduced by this version of themselves end up on a fast track to prison and to the graveyard. But even those who keep their distance from this deadly idea are at risk of losing their lives to it. The death of Trayvon Martin vividly underscores that danger.

I write, think, and act consistently against the systematic and systemic oppression of young people of color. I think that it is important though that we listen to and elevate the voices of these young people as they narrate their own experiences for us. As part of a terrific volunteer-led and run project called Chain Reaction, young people are doing exactly this as they recount their encounters with the police. Storytelling is only the first step of this project but it is important. Listen to Anthony as he describes his encounter with the police. Listen and then figure out what you can do to interrupt this type of oppression in your community.