Farmers from Punjab are peacefully marching in India, only to be met with barricades, water cannons and tear gas. Sitting thousands of miles away, it is easy to perceive this as happening in a distant place, thinking it doesn’t have much impact on us and our lives.

This could not be further from the truth, for many of us born and living abroad would have been a part of those marches had it not been for fortune, luck, kismet or whatever else you wish to call it.

We would have been those men and women we see pushing away those barricades.

We would have been the ones getting soaked with ice-cold water in a harsh North Indian winter.

Our parents would have been the elderly getting beat by sticks and doused with tear gas.

Just because we are not there doesn’t mean it doesn’t impact us. Much like the leaves on the most distant branches of a magnificent tree remain connected to its roots, we too have common roots and a deep connection with these men and women.

They are our parents, our brothers, our sisters…they are us. Within our veins runs the same blood, of warriors, poets, saints, and revolutionaries. We are those farmers.

We owe it to them to show our support in whichever way possible. Educate yourselves. Create awareness. Speak up.

For those who are not from Punjab but still trace their roots back to India, remind yourself that these are the descendants of the brave people who have defended the homeland of your forefathers from invaders for centuries. Without their sacrifice, it is likely the country you identify with would look quite different. They deserve your support.

If you are not Indian, the not too distant ancestors of these people served with great courage in almost every major global conflict over the last century. They have bled and died for our freedom, all without complaint, because it was the right thing to do. They deserve your support.

As we watch these men and women fight so valiantly for their livelihoods, I am reminded of the words of the great MLK:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

We owe it to them to add our voices to theirs.