Black Lives Matter.

The best thing about these three words is that unless you’ve been living under a rock this year (which may be possible due to the virus), you have heard them. This movement has been unlike any other in recent history. It hasn’t fizzled out, remained persistent, and its awareness continues to grow.

The three incredible outcomes of this movement so far have been:

1. It has started a conversation

The letters for black lives is a wonderful example of this. It is “a set of crowdsourced, multilingual, and culturally-aware resources aimed at creating a space for open and honest conversations about racial justice, police violence, and anti-Blackness in our families and communities.” The goal of the letter is to start a conversation with loved ones about the unique struggles that the Black community faces. It has already 52 different language translations and counting.

Additionally, corporate America now has started to pay attention to diversity and inclusion programs. This has started a conversation with many people meeting to understand why this movement matters, and what actions can these organizations do to help. As I work in food delivery technology, I know that Uber Eats, and other third-party delivery apps have not only donated more than million dollars to equal justice initiatives, but they have features that spotlight black-owned restaurants, and have stopped charging delivery fees for these restaurants as well. This is a GREAT first step. This conversation has only begun in corporate America and will continue to grow bigger and louder.

2. It’s building generational stickiness

A colleague of mine recently told me that when he steps out for a walk daily, he sees two kids around the age of 5 holding black lives matter signs outside a church. As a 36-year-old, I don’t ever remember protesting anything. The younger generations have become a part of this movement and will start asking questions. At such a young age, this is bound to stay with them, and they’ll be seeking solutions for years to come. This should make us optimistic about a future where our fellow black Americans may have a shot at equality.

3. Police screening is being reevaluated

Finally. After George Floyd’s killing, U.S. police departments will take a fresh look at the screening of aspiring officers as an early method for preventing police racism and brutality. “To improve the screening process, one former FBI agent is developing a polygraph test specifically aimed at detecting prospective hires who have racist tendencies. Others stress the need to revamp the entire hiring process to weed out those who might use excessive force, especially against Black males.” 1

This momentum needs to carry on, and here’s what needs to come next.

1. There needs to be a leader for legislative change

This movement needs someone that steps up and makes the changes at America’s core to eradicate the systemic racism that still exists today. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton: where are you? Where are others who can actually take the torch that has been lit and shines so brightly by the passion of so many, and make an actual change?

2. There needs to be a unified message

The three words of the movement make complete sense. Black lives have not mattered, and there’s an outcry that’s loud and clear. An outcry of basic human equality that many of us don’t think twice about. The problem has been stated. But what is the solution? We are always told to bring problems and solutions, and the BLM movement will need to bring a unified solution. This needs to be the new evolved message.

Lastly, a simple question:

What are your thoughts?

This movement could use your thoughts and perspective. There’s a wonderful clip of Dave Chapelle responding to a heckler who shouted “Life’s hard, sorry ‘about it.” to the troubles of a black man. We all have our thoughts about this movement, and sharing them, discussing each other’s perspective will ultimately lead us to solutions that eradicate the inequality of black lives.