Hi all!
Lately, I have been on the same assignment of gathering news articles that are related to the current protests! I have learned about some of the responses to police brutality and George Floyd, specifically. I don’t really want to get into all of it because that will lead me on a tangent! However, I will admit that I love how Detroit is responding to the protests!
I think it has been pretty challenging to stay motivated. This is a very tedious project and not the most fun thing to do for hours at a time! That’s why I start first thing in the morning! The science behind serotonin and time management suggests that we should complete tasks that we feel are less rewarding (in the moment!) first. I also think that because I am black and reading about these protests and the police immediate responses everyday has taken a negative toll on my emotional wellbeing. I was not going to admit it, but yes. I haven’t told my research mentor at all because I think that this research is going to be beneficial for someone to know at some point. I learned that the police do not accurately (or truthfully!) complete the paperwork after such events and that leads to little to no statistics about police brutality and police responses to peaceful protests (especially regarding race). Not to mention, so many protests get little to no coverage from the news as well. So, yes, it is tough for me, but I think it is a great way to support my community in times like these. That, in itself, is the most rewarding!