*5 years ago, a politically active Sandra Bland had been arrested for a traffic violation in Texas. Just 3 days later, she was found hanging in her jail cell, and her death was ruled as suicide. Despite the ruling, her death had made her the poster child for activists as a symbol for racially-motivated murder.
5 years later, racial tensions have only grown worse – which is why it is important for us to reflect on the lessons we have learned from Sandra Bland’s legacy.
Here’s what she taught us:
· You Have Control Over Your Legacy
People who have suffered because of police brutality always end up facing problems from the public. This is because of the fact that mainstream media depicts them as worthy of the horrendous treatment they encountered.
Sandra’s legacy, however, documented her life beyond her death because she was committed to documenting her life. You can look up her vlog called #SandySpeaks, and you will see how she lived instead of seeing how she died. Her life could not be erased!
What’s more, even beyond her death, her family’s activism had left a profound impact on the civil rights movement that we see today.
· Respectability Politics Won’t Save Us
Black people are told all too often that what they do, how they speak, and what they wear is going to save them from racism. This, however, is one of the greatest myths of our society because we can’t think of a more ‘respectable’ individual than Sandra. She was beautiful, accomplished, and educated, and she had a very promising future. Still, she met her end in police custody.
Philando Castile and Sandra Bland did not die because of their career and education choices. Alton Sterling did not die because of his previous troubles with the law. Trayvon Martin didn’t die because he was wearing a hoodie. Instead, they were all victims of the racist system, and this is exactly what needs to be changed.
· The Importance of Social Media
Sandra is also proof that if it wasn’t for the tireless efforts of her parents and social media, no one would have even known her name. It is very hard to imagine how many victims have remained ghosts to date, and just because people don’t hear about it does not mean it didn’t happen.
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