When having conversations about race, I often hear phrases like:

'But there ARE successful black people, so how can we say there's so much racism that black people can't succeed?'

Or 'anyone can be successful if they try hard enough'.

Or 'surely the reason that there aren't MORE successful black people is because they just haven't done the right things/in the right way to give them success, and success should go on merit, not on the colour of your skin.'

Or 'if there's so much racism, why is it that there are some really successful black people that AREN'T using their platform to talk about it?'.

This video shows a man who IS successful, but couldn't possibly have amassed his wealth lawfully?!

Yes, he's black.

NO ONE is saying black people aren't successful, or can't be successful. But we are saying that it is COMMON for black people to have to work harder than their white counterparts to secure the same jobs, or to KEEP the same jobs, or even to maintain the same level of comfort IN their jobs (ie, not being racially abused by customers, or having their hair touched by 'curious' people, or having to change their name badges to make it 'easier to read' or 'more comfortable/familiar', or having to answer questions like 'so where are you ACTUALLY from?!')

In my OPINION, there will most certainly be successful black people who frankly just want to keep their head down at a time like this, so they don't risk upsetting their colleagues or boss, or, to be honest, drawing attention to the fact that they are black, since I bet they worked their asses off to be where they are today. And no, I'm not saying that you didn't have to too. But I am saying it would have been even harder, if you were black.

- Kãmil