A violent bar fight in the 90s changed his life – giving him his iconic scar and a break in a Tupac music video. His rich dark skin, his brilliant portrayals of complex Black men, and his contagious smile made him a household name in Black homes. But his too-early death has the potential to teach us so much more.
The loss of Michael K. Williams educates us on the importance of creating safe spaces in our communities. The unfortunate phenomenon of premature deaths in Black men is something rarely spoken about – but that needs to change.
Black men are frequently pressured to suppress their feelings. This, especially given the discrimination they experience and the pressures of capitalism, is part of the reason suicide numbers and drug overdoses are high in our communities.
That’s on top of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, which affect Black men disproportionately. All of this together means Black men often die much too early. Their absence has a major impact on our communities.
Losing our people to illnesses and the perils of dealing with racism is a devastating struggle within our community. Black men are dying prematurely from very preventable causes – and it's creating generations of Black grief.