The recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile have heightened black Americans' fears and concerns about police brutality. We interviewed three parents raising black children about how they are teaching their kids to navigate life.
Each parent spoke of their love for their children.
And shared how much their children mean to them...
...enjoying every second, minute, and hour they spend with them.
The three parents are very aware, however, that in today's society, their skin color may endanger their children.
Which makes it almost impossible to accept the fact that their child could be taken away from them because of their race.
The parents said their home life is a loving and safe space...
...but noted the vast difference between their home life and the rest of the world.
This makes them fear not only the police, but also the system that was not built to benefit black Americans.
With the disparities black people face every day, it makes black parents feel like their lives don't matter.
And when you talk about children like Tamir Rice, Aiyana Jones, and Michael Brown, whose lives have been taken by police, it can hit home for parents.
So how can a black parent reaffirm their child that they matter?
Each parent said that it was a priority for them to organize events with other parents to create change.
And making it a priority that their children understand what is happening in the world.
By making their voices heard, they hope the system could eventually be restructured to be equal for all.
And most importantly, it is essential to remind black children to always take pride in who they are.
