As a 14-year-old African American male, I have a strong opinion on police brutality because, just like millions of other black kids, I have been racially profiled by an police officer because of the color of my skin. White people make up roughly 62 percent of the U.S. population but are only about 49% of those who are killed by police officers. African Americans account for 24 percent of those shot and killed by the police despite being just 13 percent of America’s population according to The Washington Post.
Once before my cousin a couple of friends and I were coming back from the grocery store by my cousin house and the police pulled up on the side of us because some kids had beat up and homeless man for no reason, but they beat him up in Oakland and we were way in Hayward with pajamas on when they stopped us.
All my life I had a grudge against police because my dad has been back and forth from jail since he was 18 years old and it wasn’t until I got older that I realized that they had nothing to do with the crimes my dad committed in his life. As soon as I started noticing that it wasn’t their fault, a new concern arose when the Ferguson, MO police department killed Michael Brown in 2014. And since then police have killed hundreds more. I have built up very strong hatred for police. And 5 years before that, on January 1, 2009 a man was killed in the same city I live in, showing that this can happen to anyone.
Although I have been in my fair share of trouble I have never in my life did something so horrible that someone should have to take my life. All my life I’ve felt like my family was too on me, and I admit I am kind of hard headed and get mad very fast. And my parents and other family members know this too, but I’m proud to say that they only want the best for me and bend over backwards to make sure my future is bright. I’ve never let no one talk to me wrong, which has led me into dark holes and every time they were there to help me with anything I needed. The main idea of everything I’m saying is that through the unspeakable things society puts colored people through we always will lift each other up.