Explaining Why Black Lives Matter To My White Child

Abstract

Recently, I had to explain the "Black Lives Matter" movement to my daughter. She had heard her mother and me talking about the protests across the country. She didn't understand why people were protesting, and, like many who don't understand, she asked a version of the question, "Don't all lives matter?" Her question was not rhetorical but sincere. As some context, we are white. My daughter is 7, and her two best friends are both people of color. One is African American and the other is South American. My daughter simply couldn't understand why any of them would matter less or more than the others.