Black Lives Matter

BLACK HEALTH MATTERS

Covid-19 doesn’t care who it infects, yet it is killing black people unequally in the U.S.. In Wisconsin, a state that is only 6 percent black, black people account for about half of its Covid-19 deaths. In Chicago, black people account for 70 percent of deaths due to Covid-19 but make up only 30 percent of its population. Across all U.S. history black lives have had less access to healthcare and worse health outcomes when they get healthcare access. Racist U.S. healthcare practices must end. Key Leaves supports equal access to quality healthcare and calls on the U.S. Federal Government to properly care for black citizens because Black Lives Matter.
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BLACK MINDS MATTER

A 2019 study found that black students are nearly four times as likely to be suspended from school as whites. The study also found that black middle-school and high-school boys were more likely to be seen as troublemakers than white counterparts for exactly the same behavior. Only 57 percent of black students have access to a full range of math and science courses necessary for college readiness (data source). Key Leaves calls for equal access to education because Black Lives Matter.

BLACK YOUTH MATTERS

Children must be protected and nurtured. Yet even as the number of children incarcerated in juvenile facilities continues to drop nationwide, the racial difference in youth incarceration has grown, according to data from the Department of Justice. As of 2015, black youth were five times more likely than white youth to be detained or committed to youth facilities. The “School-to-Prison Pipeline” is real. Key Leaves seeks to grind the school-to-prison pipeline to dust because Black Lives Matter.
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BLACK JUSTICE MATTERS

Did you know that after formal slavery ended the U.S. prison system grew faster and bigger than any other prison system on earth and now has the biggest prison population in the world? Only 12.3% of the U.S. population is black yet blacks are incarcerated (put in prison) at more than 5 times the rate of whites. Blacks and whites use drugs at similar rates, but the imprisonment rate of blacks for drug charges is almost 6 times that of whites. The U.S. has a for-profit prison system. That prison system requires human bodies to create profits. This perverted prison system prefers black bodies. No other modern democracy maintains such a disgrace of justice. Key Leaves opposes for-profit prisons and supports equal justice for all because Black Lives Matter.
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BLACK WEALTH MATTERS

Look at wealth in the U.S. and you will find stunning racial difference. The net worth of a typical white family ($171,000) is nearly ten times greater than that of a black family ($17,150) in 2016. Gaps in wealth between black and white households reveal the effects of accumulated inequality and discrimination, as well as differences in power and opportunity that can be traced back to this nation’s inception. The black-white wealth gap reflects a society that has not and does not afford equality of opportunity to all its citizens. Key Leaves calls on citizens, civic leaders, financial institutions, and businesses to work together to reduce this grotesque wealth gap because Black Lives Matter.
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BLACK MONEY MATTERS

In majority-white counties, there are an average of 41 financial institution for every 100,000 people compared with 27 in non-white majority neighborhoods. However, more expensive services like pay-day lending are more readily available in black neighborhoods. The banks in black neighborhoods typically require higher account balances to avoid service fees. The average minimum balance in white neighborhoods was $626, compared with $871 in black neighborhoods. 
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BLACK BUSINESS MATTERS

The number of working black business owners in the United States fell more than 40 percent as the coronavirus shut down much of the economy — a far steeper drop than other racial groups experienced. (source). Before this devastating shock to black-owned businesses, the situation was alarmingly unhealthy. Data from the Small Business Administration indicates that white-owned businesses have 88 percent of the overall sales, and control 86.5 percent of U.S. employment, while black businesses have a mere 1.3 percent of total American sales, and 1.7 percent of the nation’s employees. Key Leaves calls on government and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to radically focus their efforts toward black entrepreneurs and businesses, expand mentorship programs and small business lending because Black Lives Matter.
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BLACK CULTURE MATTERS

We love what the great saxophonist Jaleel Shaw recently said on the subject.
“I think part of the problem with this world and racism is that black people are still not allowed to own anything. They can’t be given credit for having created anything….? We have Asian food, Italian food, Chinese music, European classical music, Brazilian music, but what do black people have to claim? Nothing? People of other races and nationalities have contributed to all of those styles of music and cuisines, but no one ever argues where that music or food comes from, but anything that a black person creates, he can’t take credit for it because of what other races (that were inspired by what he created) have contributed to it?? Really?”

Key Leaves simply would not exist if Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and other astounding black musicians had not inspired us to fall in love with the saxophone and Black American Music. For this and so many other reasons, Key Leaves supports black ownership of black culture because Black Lives Matter.

BLACK VOICES MATTER

Meet Trevor. He is a black man who was born in segregated apartheid South Africa. His parents' interracial relationship was illegal at the time of his birth under apartheid law and his mother was imprisoned. In 2011 he moved to the U.S. and became an even closer observer of American race and politics. Hear what Trevor has to say about current events and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again.

In every measure we must do better.

#BlackoutTuesday

#TheShowMustBePaused

This message was first shared June 2, 2020 as replacement to all KeyLeaves.com webpages in support of the U.S. communities we love and serve.

Photo credit: Des Moines Protests George Floyd Murder photo by Phil Roeder