Dear White People (unedited)

The talk

when a white person beckons their children to the living room to have 'The Talk', they're talking about 'the birds and the bees', or 'love is love'.

Now, when a black person beckons their children to the living room to have 'The Talk', it's most likely something completely different.

Every person of color needs to have the talk. I'm not talking about the sex talk but the talk about what to do when stopped by a police.

The reason White people doesn't have to have a specific talk with their kids on how to make it out alive, that only shows the depths of their privilege in America.

But that's for another chapter.

If a person of color's parents refuse to have that talk with their kids, especially black parents, you are setting your kids up for failure, and worse, potential death.

This is nowhere near a joke.

P.O.C; If your parents never told you what to do when you get stopped by the police, and you're unfortunate to find yourself in this situation, this is what you do:

1. Keep your hands where the officer can see them at all times.
Hopefully you were lucky enough to get a black cop or a cop that isn't corrupt and racist.
Also, before you do anything, make sure to tell the cop exactly what you're about to do and do it slowly.

2. No matter how disrespectful the cop is, do not talk back to she/he. You may believe that you have freedom of speech but when you get pulled over, there's no such thing as freedom of speech when you're a person of color.

3. Make sure to clearly tell the officer if you have a weapon in the car. This may be tricky because corrupt cops would turn that against you. Just, make sure that's one of the first things you tell them so they won't lie and say that you tried to use it on them.

4. If you are a passenger, make sure to record the interactions. If the officer tells you to put the recorder away, DO NOT LISTEN AND IMMEDIATELY UPLOAD WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ON INSTAGRAM!! If something were to go down, it's important to have footage to use as evidence to prove both you and the driver is innocent. It's also illegal for the officer to demand you to stop recording. You have a right to document everything.

5. This is a very important step: if the officer tells you to get out of the vehicle, QUICKLY GET OUT OF THAT VEHICLE! There are millions of police brutality cases that starts off with the cop illegally demanding the victim to exit the vehicle, without stating a proper cause. Just do as the cop says so you can keep your life.

6. If the officer ask you if they can search through your car, PLEASE JUST LET THEM! You rightfully have the choice to either decline or accept if they don't have a warrant but your ONLY goal is to make it out alive so, just let them.

7. Another important one—If the officer tells you that your are under arrest, LET THEM TAKE YOU INTO CUSTODY!!! It doesn't matter if it's clear that you did nothing wrong. THEY WILL MURDER YOU IF YOU DISOBEY!!

8. The next two rules are the most important—if the detectives or interrogators ask you to sign anything, I mean anything, DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING UNTIL YOUR LAWYER COMES!
If you're a minor, DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING AND ASK FOR YOUR PARENTS IF THEY AREN'T ON THEIR WAY!
It is illegal to interrogate a minor without the presence of their guardians and everyone has the right to not say anything until their lawyer gets there. REMEMBER THAT!
No matter how nice and caring the detective/interrogator might seem, they are NOT on your side if they are interrogating you without you parents, so DO NOT listen to them.

9. If you know that you are a victim of injustice, DO NOT SIGN ANY PLEA DEAL OF ANY SORT!
You make sure to fight for justice and if you fail at first, NEVER admit to something you know and God knows that you didn't really do.
This is a way the corrupt legal system enslaves people of color. They scare you into thinking that you'll be in jail for life if you don't except the plea deal.
ESPECIALLY, state appointed attorneys. Remember, they are for THE STATE and the state ONLY.
If you fold, you are letting the systematic racist win. The same racist that killed Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, and soo many more.

Number 1 goal:

To make it home alive and safe.