For decades he struggled to find the words. They were always there, bubbling up just beneath the surface, but they had to stay hidden for the sake of his safety and his sanity. It took the murder of George Floyd and the resulting, massive outcry for the words to finally come tumbling out. He could no longer hold them in. He put them on paper, but that wasn't enough. He needed to speak them out loud. And now he has.
Dr. Ron Inge turned his successful dental practice into a flourishing corporate career, now serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Delta Dental of Missouri. Most would say he has "made it" and has achieved the American dream. But what he and so many other Black men have found is that success, even if they overcome the odds to achieve it, comes with a price.
All these years later, the memories are fresh. They are raw. They are offered here as a means of healing our collective souls.