Hey guys. Honestly the last three weeks have been mentally and psychologically exhausting. Before I continue I want to say this; I love America…but not like this. About three weeks ago we all witnessed the death of George Floyd after the white police officer that I’m pretty sure we all know of, kept his knee on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Right now we’re in a state of emergency – a state of racial emergency. I know many of us are either too afraid or too uncomfortable to talk about race, but I’m here to let you guys know; that although it’s uncomfortable (and it can be), it is needed in this time – especially now! Whenever you see a Black Lives Matter protest, look at it this way; we are not (repeat NOT) say that ONLY Black Lives Matter, we want to be given the same fairness, the same equality, and the same opportunities in life just like our white counterparts. Black lives count for ALL lives, so we can’t say that All Lives Matter until Black Lives (and others of color) Matter!

Right now its more critical that we pay more attention to our surroundings, and ask those questions that would otherwise make most of us feel uncomfortable. I can promise you this; by talking about race and what we can do to end racism, we will become better people who are open-minded and loving to one another. When we started this blog, the number one thing is UNITY! We’ve met anime fans from all walks of life with various different morals and beliefs, and when it comes to the anime community, we’ve seen a whole lot of unity! Granted we’ve also seen a few snags as well, but that’s why we must fight for equality! I know a lot of you guys have friends who are people of color and you may feel a little confused about what you can do to help the cause, so I’d say this; have these conversations with your Afro-American friends, support Black-owned businesses including manga artists, vendors, and cosplayers. Read books and articles!

November is coming, and we know what we have to do. The “Other Side” is fighting back hard, but there’s more of us than there are of them! It’s time for a NEW United States of America; where we put the “United” in United States! This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, but I know that we’re ready for it!

That’s all for now, so until next post…stay united! 🙂