Brotherhood
What is the meaning of "Brotherhood"? According to the Collins English Dictionary, brotherhood is "the affection and loyalty that you feel for people with whom you have something in common". It's a feeling of kinship, and it doesn't mean that you have to be related to someone by blood. You share something that likely has little to do with biology. You have a connection on a level that makes you feel comfortable and it allows you the freedom to be yourself. While the word implies that it is gender specific, it's meaning can just as easily be applied to the word "sisterhood" as well.
Throughout the years there have been countless egregious acts against Black people, ranging from discrimination to murder. One thing that has emerged over this past year is a coming together of Black people and others in a show of solidarity and mutual support of the fight for equality and justice, and a call for an end to the violence against our brothers and sisters. Male, female or gender neutral, we have empathy for those who have experienced the challenges in a public way, and we deal with them ourselves in our private lives in ways that may be more subtle. It isn't easy navigating the system that has been designed to hold us back, but I believe that we, as a collective, must continue to be united in seeking change. My new work, "Brotherhood", was created in the spirit of this pursuit. United we stand, and while we still have a long road ahead, if you believe in the words of Sam Cooke, "A Change Is Gonna Come."