AFTER months of social isolation, Zoom birthday parties and loved ones falling ill with the coronavirus, many of us here in the US are feeling exhausted and fearful about both the present and the future.

This is especially true for those of us who are Black/Afro-descended. We have faced not only disproportionate death rates from covid-19, but persistent, public and violent harassment from state authorities and vigilantes, making many of us afraid for ourselves and our communities.

As I have struggled to stay focused in the midst of what seems like never-ending public grief, I have caught …