Code-switching is commonly practiced in today’s society. Code-switching is the practice of alternating your speech and behavior around certain social settings. In some circumstances, this practice is the difference between life and death, especially in America where racism is high against black people. The specific podcast “How a Black Cheer Squad in Buffalo Deals with the Racist Massacre Blocks Away” by Na’kya McCann, Lori Lizarraga, Marianne McCune, Courtney Stein, and Dalia Mortada, talks about the targeted shooting in Buffalo and how it affected black people who lived near it. The Buffalo shooting took place in a Tops grocery store in May 2022. Despite police claims, this shooting was targeted as the majority of the victims were black. Ten people were fatally shot and three were severely injured. Before I read the article I remember my initial reaction the day that it happened. It was very gruesome and traumatizing as there were videos of it surfacing on Twitter. The videos were recorded firsthand by the shooter and it was horrifying watching him kill all the innocent people. I also felt a sense of injustice as shortly after the police were treating him kindly and trying to say that the attack was not racially motivated. upon reading this article I realized that the effects of this shooting are still ongoing to this day. Although we understand that everybody who was affected is a human being, listening to the interviewees talk about their experiences and lives makes us empathize with them because now it’s as if we know them. The interviewees practice at a local gym for cheerleading just two blocks away from where the shooting took place. I have noticed three instances of how code-switching was being used. Shortly after the incident many black people felt threatened by the presence of white people, naturally being more reserved and cautious. Mothers and coaches were trying to shield their emotions and stay as strong as possible for the little kids, not wanting to seem weak and wanting their kids to still feel a sense of protection. Lastly, cheerleaders are known to be energetic and preppy and it is difficult to mask true emotions when something traumatizing happens in your community. Throughout this article, I felt the emotional damage and instability of their community, and the little kids questioning, “Why is this happening to our people?” was extremely heartbreaking, because how do you explain this messed up world to a little girl? On the other hand, I commend Na’kya and her cheer team for getting back up on their feet even when it felt impossible. This was only able to happen because of the support and the strong bond the team had, as well as the perseverance and the mindset of “We can’t let racism win.”