By Krysthel Cisneros
Staff Writer

This summer has been one of protests, speeches, memorials, and the celebration of Black lives. Following the tragic death of George Floyd, the leaders of the Black Lives Matter organization have been relentless in making it known that their mission is to bring awareness and combat the systematic racism faced by the Black community in all aspects of their lives. 

After Trayvon Martin’s death in 2012, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi called for action through the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’. The Black community saw the opportunity and took a stance, becoming one through the Black Lives Matter movement, which would later be further galvanized by Floyd’s brutal murder across the United States. 

One of the key topics of conversation within the BLM movement has always been police brutality. This racially motivated violence towards members of the Black community led to the mass of protests in countless cities across the United States. 

Among some of the active protesters in Miami are some Makos that had a lot to say about what they experienced at these protests. “I found a strong community of support in this eye-opening experience,” senior Lucas Antonio said. Senior Jasmine Doyle described an “ emotional rush,” and added that she found it to be “fulfilling to fight for what’s right.” Both expressed a similar positive experience in which they saw a prominent diverse crowd of people that were also carefully following COVID-19 protocols.

Many have shared their stance on the injustices faced by the Black community via social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and others. When asked about how social media has portrayed the Black Lives Matter Movement, senior Jennifer Dotzler said, “Social media has been all over the place with BLM… some honoring the movement, others bandwagoning or disrespecting it.” In order to combat these detrimental forces of misinformation and ignorance, it is important to do research and remain aware of the issues that arise within the Black community, and it is especially important to listen to these underrepresented voices. 

The Black Student Association Club has been critical to the Mako community since its beginning in 2015. Senior club officers share their similar opinions on how the Black Lives Matter movement has created the perfect momentum for BSA. In order to uplift the voices of Black students, president Hillary Simmons says “the first step is to actually listen to us and to not deny our experiences.” Even though the trending #blacklivesmatter has brought awareness to Black struggles, the negative result is the desensitization of such matters. The vice president of engagement for BSA, Maya Collie, warns others against this by saying “…don’t just do it because it’s trending, do it because you actually want to help the Black community.” 

Unfortunately, issues relating to racism and underrepresentation are not new to the conversation at MAST Academy. “ We saw these issues 5 years ago… and this new moment that we’re experiencing,” BSA faculty sponsor Ashli Wright said.  “It needs to be about what the adults do for you.” After much preparation, BSA Allies, a committee of teachers at MAST, has become one of the many solutions implemented to provide a strong support system for students of color. In hopes of combating these issues, the Black Student Association will continue to provide a space for students of all colors, whether it be via an online platform or physically, at school. In order to uplift the voices of the Black students not only here at MAST Academy, but all throughout Miami, it is important to avoid the state of being neutral and/or silent because, as Simmons said, “silence is complicity.”