There are some overdue words that I owe to those who follow my work. I know that there have been
occasions when I have not engaged productively on social media. I feel awful about what I recognize as
instances of insensitivity on my part. I recently had a conflict with a colleague whose feelings I harmed,
during a debate about the recent protest movement in the United States, and I deeply regret that. I respect
everyone who works at The Intercept and never wanted to do anything to suggest otherwise. One of my
goals as a journalist is to question prevailing wisdom and share dissenting perspectives. I know however
that, especially at a painful moment, this must be done with the greatest sensitivity to the lived
experiences of others. I know that with a few tweets, I failed at that. For the hurt that I caused, I am
genuinely sorry.
A lot of people have engaged in speculations about me recently or attributed views to me that I do not
remotely hold. Especially given what is going on in the United States today, I want to clarify where I’m
coming from and what I actually believe about police violence, racism and structural injustice.
I grew up in Prince George’s County, a working class and racially diverse DC suburb, where policing has
an ugly history. As a teenager, I witnessed a tragic killing by local police of a young man outside my
home, an incident for which the cops involved were never prosecuted. I volunteered at a nonprofit for
trafficked women in West Baltimore in which two homeless clients we worked closely with were
murdered in a 3-month period. Police never investigated the deaths of these people. The stories never
made national news. There was no justice – their lives were deemed expendable by the system. I do not
come from a background that allows me to view the injustice of American society as a strictly academic
matter. I know the stakes of these discussions. And there are too many communities across the country in
which black people face constant structural racism and violence in America.
When I posted a video by a young black man whom I interviewed, Max, at a Black Lives Matter protest
against police violence in the Bay Area, some people, including people I deeply respect, took this as a
suggestion that I intended to feed a “black-on-black crime” trope in order to dismiss concerns about
police violence. I know very well that there are cynical actors, often racists themselves, who weaponize
such tropes, retorting “All Lives Matter” when their true purpose is merely to reject the idea that black
people’s lives do. I am not one of those people and neither is Max, whose comments I shared. I’ve spoken
to Max in recent days after our interview. He is glad that his critiques received a platform at a moment
when dissenting views are often censored, but he is hurt and angered that his words were taken out of
context by many on Twitter. He is coming from a humanistic perspective and wants to reduce the
senseless destruction of life in this country.
The United States is an extraordinarily violent country and I believe that the recent scenes of police
violence inflicted on protestors nationally are a reflection of that. My concern for the victims of violence,
including friends and people I grew up with, is not just genuine but deeply personal. It grieves me to think
that people have the opposite impression, or that they believe I would say anything to undermine the fight
against structural racism in this country. I strongly believe that criminal justice reform goes hand in hand
with reducing violence broadly in society and promoting shared prosperity. If we succeed on the criminal
justice front, but fail to reduce violent crime and rampant inequality, a backlash will bring us quickly back
to the policies of mass incarceration. I don’t see one issue as a distraction from the other, but rather see

 them linked. There is no justice when millions lack health care, good paying jobs, an education, and a
meaningful voice in the political and policy process.
Progressive journalists and activists are divided about the role of violence at protests. I feel convinced by
my reading of history and social science that nonviolent civil disobedience, critical reporting and
thoughtful political action, rather than vandalism or violent attacks, will ultimately lead to the long lasting
changes that this country needs. Others may disagree with me on that, but I want to be understood: I’m
not conflating violence or riots with the millions bravely engaging in Black Lives Matter protests. I am
skeptical of the few voices on the left, some of them from much more privileged backgrounds than my
own, who are encouraging or dismissing violence whose consequences often fall on working class
communities, including many struggling communities of color. Even if you disagree with me, do not
suggest that my feelings stem from anything but concern for these communities.
As a mixed-race person, I grapple with issues of race and identity. There are many people who do not fit
neatly into boxes of political and racial identity. It is a difficult subject for me personally to reflect upon at
times. I have endured many forms of racism and bigotry from my peers and in social and professional
settings, and like many mixed people, have felt a constant sense of alienation. I have sincere concerns that
ethnic and racial chauvinism can dovetail into unproductive forms of essentialism and sectarianism. But I
recognize I experience many privileges as well. I have not been stopped and frisked because of my race,
or stopped in traffic because of my race, or been assumed to be a violent criminal because of my race,
among the many horrors that so many African Americans face.
Conversations about difficult and emotional subjects rarely play out constructively on a medium like
social media and sometimes people unintentionally hurt one another. I hate that in even the smallest way I
may have contributed to a toxic discourse that causes pain to anyone. But even more than that, I am
saddened that my words caused harm to colleagues and to many people whom I care deeply about.
In case it needs to be said, I am outraged by the killing of George Floyd. I am sickened by the ongoing
discrimination African Americans face in society, which I have witnessed for years. I am sickened by our
failure to reckon with the history of racism in this country and the continued terror imposed by tyrannical
forms of policing. I am hopeful that these protests and the Black Lives Matter will make positive change.
I’m deeply passionate about making the United States a more just, safe and decent place for everyone to
live. Sometimes I make mistakes, including painful ones. I hope people can forgive me for the hurt my
words may have caused at times. But no matter what, I am going to do my best to continue doing honest
reporting that shines a light on injustice in this country.