‘The Ring Was The Only Place I Felt Safe’

Rather than demonizing black youth, we need to have a serious conversation about how the dangerous and insecure conditions they face are driving many to seek solace in sports, violence, and drugs. Hyper-vigilant policing and mass incarceration alongside the ongoing divestment from social services and public education and the decline of jobs that provide both dignity and a living wage are all wreaking havoc on black youth across the United States.

As Sugar Ray’s story (and Troy Davis’s and Trayvon Martin’s) suggests, we need to talk about recovery and reconstruction, rather than just punishment and retribution. We also need to work harder to dismantle the enduring stereotype of the criminal, dangerous, and “suspicious” black male that not only fosters but validates the actions of men like George Zimmerman. As the recent protest of Miami high school students in honor of Martin and the Million Hoodie March in New York City show, the youth are already taking it upon themselves to start this conversation.

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