Wow. I was not prepared for the depth and layers of this book, We Refuse to Be Silent. There were moments where I had to stop reading and calm myself. The truths that are shared by each contributor touches one in the most humane way. The struggles, how we cope, the disappointments and how we are made uncomfortable in our every day lives at different moments. The rage, anger, sadness, hope, joy and sense of community within the pages of this book are laid bare. It was all the things and none of the things all at once. Without true justice, we have no peace. Systemic racism is pervasive , it bleeds through every system that was created by the forefathers. These writings were everything and this is a must read for all, but especially those who can’t find their way to empathize with what a huge number of our population deals with on a daily basis. Thank you all for allowing me to read this book. Heavy, but necessary.