In 2023, 16-year-old Bryce Brooks of Atlanta showed incredible bravery when he jumped into the ocean in Florida to save four children he didn’t even know from drowning. 😭
Thanks to him, all four survived but tragically, Bryce was swept away by the current. Family friend Charles Johnson II also gave his life trying to rescue Bryce.
Let us not forget about him today.
Non-verbal kids are okay!
Autistic kids are okay!
Disabled kids are okay!
All of these babies are perfectly fine & deserving of love & more importantly deserving of parents that will love, adore, nurture, & protect them regardless of any ailments or diagnoses.
At Night to Shine, I’ve seen what just one moment of love can do.
It’s not about the red carpet or the crowns.
It’s about someone finally realizing, maybe for the first time, they’ve always had worth.
Why? Because they’re made in the image of God.
Will we come together and not just share and express this worth once a year during Night to Shine, but every day share the love and value of people with disabilities and the vulnerable?
Check on your friends at events. Make sure they’re getting into their Ubers safely. Don’t leave them alone if you think they’re around someone unsafe. Use your best judgment, especially if theirs is impaired. Do this quietly and don’t seek credit. If you’re doing it correctly, it won’t be obvious to anyone else.
If it turns out that your friends are the unsafe ones: do the hard thing and call them out. If there’s room for them to grow and change, and you’re equipped to do so, then help them where you can. Regardless, do not let them continue toxic behavior patterns around vulnerable people. Use your voice to warn others – privately if necessary, publicly if possible.
Hopefully you were already doing these things. If not, it’s long past time to start.
my heart breaks every single day in this community for the vulnerable and the trusting. I’ve cried all night. evil can come in all shapes, forms, ages, genders and roles and infiltrate places and communities we are suppose to feel safe in. be vigilant for yourself and others. stay with your trusted friends and never leave each other behind! please check in with others daily and often.. as a community- these feelings need to be remembered so we won’t ever forget it happened and happens. we must use our power and voices for good. check in on your friends in heavy times like these, you never know who needs your support and what feelings could ruminate after this brave person shared their story. I say it often but FIND me, CALL me. No one has to be alone. I’m literally begging yall. Help each other. We are all we have. To the victim, and victims in the community, please know people do stand with you and want to protect you.
2025 and a community based around POKEMON is still this wildly unsafe for women. Do not shut up, do not stop fighting until VGC is safe and accessible. This is ALL of our responsibilities.
@tfyaoi If they recognize Palestine, they'll also have to come to grips with their indigenous populations that they've been pretending don't exist. The Ainu and Ryukyuans are still alive, and they're not ethnically Japanese.
Imagine a state defending the right to rape. Israelis defended soldiers torturing and sexually abusing Palestinian prisoners. Silence on this is consent to rape.