This Is Our Year To… Listen
With the Surviving R Kelly documentary stirring up much needed conversations about mental health and the treatment of young black women I remembered this story:
A teenage woman just turned eighteen. She was stunning. Tall, beautiful and talented. I always wondered what type of man she would end up with if she chose to marry. A thirty year old man showed up. It broke many hearts but she didn’t see it.
She didn’t understand that his “love” didn’t manifest magically the day she turned eighteen. It wasn’t a coincidence. It started before she was legal to consent. He saw her in the midst of her teenage crush and didn’t deter her. He reveled in it and when it became legal to reciprocate he exploited it. Wherever she is now, he may still be exploiting it.
Her community spoke out. They advised her, the admonished him and then — silence. The parents supported their “relationship”, so who else would dare step in?
I wanted to. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs in her beautiful face;
“We’ve all been your age before except you!”
Listen.
This new year I hope we all listen more. As we resolve to exercise more, eat healthy, and read more books, let’s resolve to listen.
Listen to the stories of R Kelly’s survivors. Listen to the stories of broken communities trying to do the best they can to heal the hurt abuse causes and listen to each other so we can prevent history repeating itself.
Happy new year.
