Where Were You on January 6, 2021?

A Day that will live in infamy.

I remember that it was a sunny afternoon. I was at a doctor's appointment. I was outside the infusion center at Tufts Medical Center, waiting for cancer treatment.

As I sat in the hallway across from the infusion center, I was checking the messages on my phone. As I did so, I noticed hospital personnel walking by me, phones in hand, with concerned looks on their faces.

Their expression ranged from surprise to shock. Some were talking to others on their phones. Other patients in the waiting area were also staring intently at their phones.

Something was going on, so I went to Tik Tok to see if any of the creators I followed were talking about what was happening. One of them had their television on CNN, watching thousands of people — Trump supporters — storming the U.S. Capital Building.

As the drama played out in real-time, thousands of people had surrounded the building. I remembered that a protest had been planned about Biden’s winning the presidency, but what I saw was not a protest — it was a riot.

People, mostly White men, were on the front steps of the Capitol Building. There were riot police at the top of the stairs pushing people back. Some people complied, but others continued to push forward, eventually overrunning the officers.

I saw other rioters go around to the side of the building, breaking windows and banging on doors. Windows were breached and people started climbing into the building. People used flags and other objects to bust down the doors.

Police were inside either talking to rioters or fighting them. Strangely enough, I watched one officer taking pictures with the rioters. Other police officers seemed to be directing the rioters further into the building. It was bizarre and surreal.

Outside, I saw the cameras pan on people climbing up the sides of the building. One man had reached the top and was pointing to others, directing them where to go. The D.C. police just stood idly by and did nothing. It was as if they had either given up or were allowing the rioters to do as they pleased.

The rioters had now become invaders. They were insurrectionists. I saw many of them dressed in military gear. Some carried weapons. They broke into groups once inside the building and split into different directions. They were yelling “Hang Mike Pence” and “Trump won.”

Some of the insurrectionists made it to the Senate Floor. They rifled through desks, took pictures, and damaged property. Many of them were looking at papers and mentioned Ted Cruz’’s name, stating “He might want to see this.”

My viewing was interrupted when my name was called for my treatment. I continued watching after I was hooked up to the infusion machine. For the next thirty minutes, I was glued to my phone watching more footage of the insurrection. After I was finished, I rushed home to see more of the insurrection on CNN.

The insurrectionists and rioters remained inside the Capitol Building for several hours. Those who e\were outside continued to battle police, wave their Trump flags, and cause more damage. It took the military to come in and finally disperse the crowd.

A year later, a January 6th committee has worked to find out who was involved in the insurrection. Many politicians are connected to what happened on that day. The top politician is former President Trump. More and more evidence shows that he spent hours watching the insurrection and ignored the pleas of aides and family to stop it.

Hundreds of people were arrested and sent to jail for their actions on January 6th. Hundreds more are awaiting trial. The FBI continues to search for many others involved in the insurrection. But many of the insurrectionists have disappeared back into their underground networks.

Many things have come out from January 6th. Black people weren’t surprised by what happened. We have been the victims of violence and extremism since 1619. Our Black bodies are targets every day.

It is also true that if there had been thousands of Black and Brown's people trying to storm the Capitol, the end results would have been totally different. There would have been dead bodies in front of the building, hundreds of soldiers with AK-47 and tanks, attacking people, and a nation doubling down on its racist treatment of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.

Democracy has reached a breaking point. There are too many people who believe violence is the way in this country. America was founded on bloodshed so it makes sense that people want to fight. However, the number of people who want to upend the democratic process in this country is astounding — and scary.

Trump is still very popular. Many Republicans still worship him. Racism has turned into legislation with voting rights being changed in many states. People of Color are the target of new laws and regulations that restrict their voting freedoms. Trump may run again in 2024 and if he does, Democracy may end if he wins the presidency.

It is my hope that it doesn’t come to that point. We can’t let Trump regain power. Biden and Harris need to make sure that Democracy wins in 2024. If not, the United States will end.