Out of the Office

Hey there - I'm currently out of the office and unable to respond to your email because I've been shot and killed by the police.

So, what do you think will happen next? Here's what I think...

• You'll never get a response to the email you just sent me.
• The company will take a few days to issue a "heartfelt" statement. Someone might even reach out to my family, send them food, talk to them about the benefits they'll receive due to my murder.
• The media will likely find a "threatening" photo of me, perhaps one of me wearing my durag, and this photo will be used to justify my shooting and damage my character.
• The video of me being tragically shot and killed will surface in a couple of weeks. The bodycam footage was tampered with, but gas station footage was released publicly.
• Said video will show me, an unarmed black man walking to his car, police telling me to stop because I'm a 6'2, 230 lb black man walking up to an Acura that just couldn't be mine.
• Video will also show me not stopping because it's my car and I'm exhausted and don't have the time to put up with the BS from the police.
• You see the technology that my car has, all you have to do is touch the handle and the door unlocks. Well, as I reach for the handle, shots are fired and you see my bloodied body slide down the side of my car, my hand still touching the door handle. I'm there lying next to my car, life literally flowing from my body.
• I was actually shot several times because my mere existence threatened the cops.
• The police never call an ambulance because to them, my life has no value.
• The video will be shared nationally, maybe even internationally and people will be encouraged to watch it - contributing to more trauma.
• People will say "Had he just stopped and put his hands up, the cops wouldn't have fired and he would still be alive." Sadly this isn't true.
• My family, friends, and coworkers will be asked to tell stories about me and discuss how my death will contribute to a movement.
• There might be a hashtag or a march for justice following my murder.
• The police will never be arrested or charged and will continue on in their jobs, their colleagues will even speak out about how they did the right thing.
• The company might start a speaker series or join together with other companies to raise awareness of police brutality which will evolve into a speaker series on diversity and inclusion.
• The White people at work who knew me will have an AHA moment and suddenly realize that police brutality, systemic racism and a lack of value for black lives contributed to my murder - they'll feel a sense of guilt as a result.
• My name will be added to the countless list of others. Whose families never received justice, whose loved ones are still trying to find peace.
• By this time, my role has already been backfilled by someone else.
• Diversity efforts at my company and others will still be underfunded, D&I teams will still be understaffed and black people will still be asked to explain why I was killed.
• You see not much will change actually and that won't surprise a lot of people.
• The news of my death will become a distant memory because another black man or woman will be killed and the cycle will continue.

Best,

Glenn