Did you know there’s a speed limit for pedestrians in Illinois?
Apparently it’s true.
I was kindly notified several years ago when a police squad car stopped me while I was walking in suburban Chicago one morning.
“Where ya headed?” the cop asked.
Stopping mid-stride, I answered, “Going to work.”
“Oh? And just where do you work?“ Maybe he thought I was telling a story.
“Starbucks on 154th. And my shift starts in 10 minutes.”
I knew exactly how much time it took me exactly 18 minutes to get from home to work because I’d timed it. And I left the house 20 minutes before I needed to clock in, so I could walk at a comfy pace.
Officer Friendly needed more information.
“Where do you live? And why are you in such a hurry?”
That’s when I started getting really nervous. It was pretty early, so there were no witnesses around…
“This is regular speed for me,” I replied, forcing a chuckle. “I just have long legs.”
The squad car idled forward a little, and the officer grunted “Whatever you say. Just be good out here.” Then he took off.
Thank God he didn’t knock me down and drive his knee into on my neck.
A couple years later, I had an almost identical conversation with a different cop in a different suburb.
That’s how I know about the pedestrian speed limit.
I was also tossed into the back of a police car for jaywalking one block from my house…
And I’m one of the lucky ones!
What’s my point?
This email is going out to a lot of people, and I don’t know your personal awareness level around this fact:
Being Black in America is… different
You can be accosted, arrested or asphyxiated for doing regular stuff.
To make it worse, it seems like it doesn’t matter.
The mental and emotional toll adds up over the years — and sometimes the pent-up frustration and anger can spill over.
There’s obviously a lot more to this conversation, but I want to switch gears into action steps. Because knowledge is just the first step. We all have to take action to make change happen.
For today, I’ll mention one thing you can do that I haven’t heard many people talking about in 2020.
Regardless of your ethnicity, you can show support for the Black community by moving your money to a Black-owned bank.
My personal favorite is Liberty Bank & Trust. I hear great things about OneUnited and Citizens Trust Bank, too.
Liberty also has an outstanding mortgage team. If you’re buying a home or investment properties, get in touch with them. (If you talk with Sheila, tell her I sent you.)
Right now, we’re living in a historic moment.
I encourage you to think about this:
When you look back on this moment… will you be proud of your words and more importantly, your actions?
Decide today to what you want the pages of history to say about you.