There are many talks parents must have with their children, and for parents of kids of color, one of them involves the heartbreaking reality of their kids being mistreated - and even killed ― by the police.
In a video from This Matters and Cut, black parents share what they’ve told their kids about what to do when a police officer approaches them. In light of the hundreds of black people (some of them unarmed) recently killed at the hands of police, the video is heartbreaking, but important.
The first father explains that he has his daughter practice a few lines at home. His daughter then demonstrates by raising her hands, saying her name and age and adding one more line.
“I am unarmed and I have nothing that will hurt you,” she says to the invisible officer.
Many moms and dads remind their kids to not “assume all [police officers] are bad,” but also offer tips like keeping their hands up and announcing what they’re going to do before they do it. Some parents also share examples of when they were mistreated by the police, bringing one girl to tears.
While the moms and dads all had different ways of teaching their kids what to do in front of the police, it was clear they all had the same fear for their children.
“If he tells you to be quiet, be quiet,” one mom says. “Do everything that you can to get back to me.”
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