Emmanuel

One of them was scared that they were actually going to miss their flight because her friend was waiting so long for the construction workers to break off just the right piece of the mural, like as a souvenir. What time is your flight?

One of them was scared that they were actually going to miss their flight because her friend was waiting so long for the construction workers to break off just the right piece of the mural, like as a souvenir. What time is your flight?

So I actually lived in D.C. when they first painted this street. And I got to say, at the time when I first saw it, I totally understood how meaningful it was to some folks. But personally... Honestly, I just kind of rolled my eyes and laughed about it with the other black people that I knew. It just felt kind of performative.

So I actually lived in D.C. when they first painted this street. And I got to say, at the time when I first saw it, I totally understood how meaningful it was to some folks. But personally... Honestly, I just kind of rolled my eyes and laughed about it with the other black people that I knew. It just felt kind of performative.

Just like one of the same with a lot of the stuff that was happening back then, right? Like Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and co. kneeling in Kent Day Cloth in the Capitol. All those black squares people were posting. But now that I was actually here, seeing them tear this message out of the ground, It just, I don't know, I was just like, oh, right.

Just like one of the same with a lot of the stuff that was happening back then, right? Like Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and co. kneeling in Kent Day Cloth in the Capitol. All those black squares people were posting. But now that I was actually here, seeing them tear this message out of the ground, It just, I don't know, I was just like, oh, right.

It maybe didn't matter that much when it was first put in. But, like, it definitely mattered now that it was being taken out. Yeah. Across the street, I saw this older white guy who worked in urban design. He was so excited to have a piece of the thing.

It maybe didn't matter that much when it was first put in. But, like, it definitely mattered now that it was being taken out. Yeah. Across the street, I saw this older white guy who worked in urban design. He was so excited to have a piece of the thing.

So you're getting a piece of it kind of as a memento of a thing that you didn't like?

So you're getting a piece of it kind of as a memento of a thing that you didn't like?

Okay, so talking to this guy, it hit me. He's here to mark the end of something, which I realised, oh, we all were, right? Like, I think it was clear to absolutely everybody there on that street that one era has ended and, like, we're in some very new moment right now. And lots of us were just trying to puzzle that out in real time, like, what this means.

Okay, so talking to this guy, it hit me. He's here to mark the end of something, which I realised, oh, we all were, right? Like, I think it was clear to absolutely everybody there on that street that one era has ended and, like, we're in some very new moment right now. And lots of us were just trying to puzzle that out in real time, like, what this means.

Like, there were these two women that I met, Soraya and Yasmeen. Soraya was on the fence about taking a piece at all. She was just sort of like... Why would I want a piece of something that never felt real?

Like, there were these two women that I met, Soraya and Yasmeen. Soraya was on the fence about taking a piece at all. She was just sort of like... Why would I want a piece of something that never felt real?

There is this thing, sorry, sorry, sorry. There is this thing I've been thinking about, though, which is like, is this more honest, actually, that they actually are ripping this up?

There is this thing, sorry, sorry, sorry. There is this thing I've been thinking about, though, which is like, is this more honest, actually, that they actually are ripping this up?

So as I was leaving the street that day... I just felt like, oh, right, the America that I know, like the one I grew up in, it leaves for sign up, right? Like it says it believes in all of this stuff, you know, that all of us are equal, that, you know, we all want to live in racial harmony, whatever. And then it just kind of does what it wants.

So as I was leaving the street that day... I just felt like, oh, right, the America that I know, like the one I grew up in, it leaves for sign up, right? Like it says it believes in all of this stuff, you know, that all of us are equal, that, you know, we all want to live in racial harmony, whatever. And then it just kind of does what it wants.

But like what I saw, like the government going to these great lengths to tear up this street and to get every shred of the letters out, like not even bothering to pay lip service anymore. I was like, that feels like a real shift. So, yeah, that's how I ended up with this piece of concrete, which I guess is just going to live in my house forever.

But like what I saw, like the government going to these great lengths to tear up this street and to get every shred of the letters out, like not even bothering to pay lip service anymore. I was like, that feels like a real shift. So, yeah, that's how I ended up with this piece of concrete, which I guess is just going to live in my house forever.