Who better to let people know that their lives matter than young black boys? Filmmaker Kiri Laurelle Davis, best known for her short film “A Girl Like Me,” created a public service announcement to highlight racial profiling through the eyes of young black and Hispanic boys.
“Our Lives Matter” was shot in New York City on the heels of Eric Garner’s killing. The video is a collaboration between Davis and the nonprofit organization Rootstrong.
“Many of today’s young men of color are aware that they are targets and could have easily been in the shoes of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown or, more recently, Tamir Rice. How many of our unarmed youth have to die before this is seen, not as an isolated incident, but as a national crisis?” says Davis.
In the video, the boys are holding targets over their chest and giving reasons as to why they shouldn’t be profiled. The imagery and words are not only poignant but also apropos, considering the recent deaths of black people at the hands of police officers.