As I wrote the last few lines of my most recent poem (Remember What Was), I was confronted by two thoughts. The first was we don’t have much to complain about? And the second stood opposed to the first: do you really believe black people have nothing to complain about? The truth is both thoughts are true. Right? None of us gotta hunt and gather for our meals or sleep in caves. We use toilets and have clean drinking water. And, at the same time, I believe African American’s have a tougher row to hoe in 2024. Blacks suffer more violence, poverty, and own less wealth. Both are true. It’s a good time to be alive, just better for some than others.

But, you wanna hear a fun stat? The total wealth owned by blacks in America is worth $4.6 trillion. Which amounts a 4% of the overall wealth of the US. (That’s not a good number when you account for the fact blacks make up 13% of the country.) Now…the fun stat is this. If blacks in America were a separate country called Blackmerica, it would be the 17th wealthiest country in the world. Richer that Brazil, Russia, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and lots more. Totally nuts when you think about it. And yet, they struggle to overcome the last lingering bits of racism, still present in the police stations and court rooms and schools.

Both are true.