#blkgrlmgclwyr – blog

America is looking like a failed experiment. It’s a nation founded on blood, built on the backs of African slaves and the bones of Indigenous peoples. That’s where it started, and that’s where it continues to draw its power, rooted in the pain of the marginalized. If you think otherwise, you’re either lying to yourself or too comfortable in your privilege to face the truth. We are living in an oligarchy, plain and simple—one where the rich and powerful make the rules, and the rest of us are just fighting for a seat at the table, if we’re even “privileged” enough to be allowed in the room. Where’s the lie? Not here.

I must be frank: America’s adolescence is ugly. We’re not a “shining beacon” of democracy, nor have we ever been. We take that “more perfect union” notion very seriously, for our actions do not reflect our “potential.” We’re an empire in the making, struggling to find its identity, bumping up against its own contradictions, all the while forcing its citizens to swallow the poison that is inequality. Right now, we’re caught in the painful growing pains of a nation that has never reckoned with its past. The worst part? We’re nowhere near “mature.” America has adolescent acne, and is still in that awkward stage where it’s flexing its muscles but hasn’t figured out how to wield power without breaking everything in its path.

It’s hard to watch, especially when you see corporate America, the tech giants, and the billionaires kissing the ring of a man like Donald Trump, a symbol of everything that’s wrong with this country. It’s sickening to see these same companies—who’ve built their empires on our labor, on our data, on our lives—turn around and sacrifice all of us just to stay in favor with the very forces pushing us toward fascism.

I get it. These companies want to survive. Profits. They’re not trying to be “good” for the people; they’re trying to stay afloat in a system that thrives on oppression, division, and corporate greed. They are selling out, and they’re doing it right in front of our faces. It’s a betrayal of the highest order. But we’re the ones who will pay the price for their cowardice.

So what do we do? We resist—and we do it wisely.

Use Your Money Like It Matters

We need to stop feeding companies that are only interested in consolidating power for their own selfish gain. Big tech, big oil, big pharma—they’re all part of the same toxic system that oppresses the poor, exploits the workers, and erases marginalized communities from the conversation entirely. It’s time to rethink how we spend our dollars. Support local businesses. Support Black-owned businesses, Indigenous-run enterprises, and community initiatives that center our needs and well-being. Redirect your money away from the systems that benefit from your silence and oppression.

We know the corporate giants don’t care about us. They don’t care about your rights, your freedom, your safety, or your health. All they care about is keeping the wheels of capitalism turning. It’s time to say no—to say that we’re not going to keep feeding the monster that’s been sucking the life out of us for centuries.

America’s Painful Awakening

It will hurt. There’s no way around it. The truth is painful. Breaking the chains of false hope is going to sting. But here’s the thing: on the other side of this awakening, we could actually be better off. The system that was built on slavery and genocide is too far gone to be salvaged. It’s time to tear it down, to burn it to the ground and build something new from the ashes. But we can’t wait for the system to do it for us. We have to make the choice ourselves.

I’m not saying we have to stick around for the “growing pains.” Honestly? I’m tired of watching us suffer while the elites and the corporations laugh their way to the bank. But that doesn’t mean we have to just lie down and accept it. The time for action is now.

Make it hurt for them. Hurt them where it hurts: their oligarchical pockets. Keep pushing back. Take your money out of their hands, speak out when they try to erase our history, when they push propaganda down our throats, when they make us fight each other while they profit. Do whatever it takes to take back control. Because if we don’t, then we’ll be nothing more than pawns in the hands of an oligarchy.

We know who they are. Now let them know who we are.

Author’s Bio

Latrice Burks-Palmerio, also known by her powerful online presence as #blkgrlmgclwyr, is an expert in American politics with a deep focus on the intersection of American fascism and the decline of empire. Latrice’s academic journey began with an International Baccalaureate class on totalitarian regimes, which laid the foundation for her nuanced understanding of authoritarianism. She graduated with honors in Political Science from the College of Wooster, where her thesis examined the dynamics of Black social movements in the U.S. Further refining her expertise, Latrice earned her law degree from USC Gould School of Law, gaining invaluable insights into U.S. Constitutional law.

As an impact litigator specializing in employment law for marginalized communities and representing survivors of sex crimes, Latrice combines her legal acumen with a deep commitment to justice. She has also contributed to the public discourse through self-published articles that analyze and critique the evolving political landscape of America. Latrice’s work examines how the structures of American fascism and empire-building manifest in law, policy, and social movements, making her a critical voice in understanding the political currents shaping the nation today.