The adolescent age of 11… a time of innocence and curiosity where young children discover who they truly are as individuals. For the majority, the age of 11 is a time period where children are often given talks on how to navigate their first year of middle school. However, for our black young men in America, the age of 11 is a turning point for many of them.
Society begins to view us as not just children but as a threat to their safety. Stories of our children, such as Tamir Rice, Tyre King, and many more innocent souls, can make growing up as a young Black Girl or Boy a task of unchosen maturity.
Rather than just being given “The Talk '' growing up Black in America, children are also given “The Talk '' of how to properly respond to a traffic stop or told why they simply can’t walk outside in their neighborhood with their hoodie on at night or even in broad daylight. There is a great divide because growing up in America is not growing up black in America.
Today I introduce to you two fraternal twins, Carl Harris Jr., aka CJ (right), and Thadeus Harris Jr. aka TJ (left). Both Cj and Tj, 11 years old, are growing up in America, where the predictable is very unpredictable. However, they aren’t going to let society limit what they can do. CJ, who has a deep passion for basketball one day, has the dream of making it to the NBA one day.
TJ, who has a profound love for football, aspires to play in the NFL when he grows up. Though twins, they share completely different personalities that balance each other out at such a young age. However, their life goals don't differ from one another; when asked what they want out of life, both will tell you that they simply want to be successful and to help those around them, not just be another statistic.
In such a problematic country, the America that we live in is still somehow the land of the free and the land of the brave for many. For CJ, TJ, and many other children like them in the United States, the only time they might actually be free is when they step foot in their home. Once they step foot into the world, they are very much brave but not so free.
