How to Be The Change We Hope To See
While already facing a deadly pandemic, now videos and pictures of Black people being inhumanely treated have triggered a consistent ebb and flow of painful emotions that stem from an even more agonizing past.
As I watched Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer pin his knee on George Floyd‘s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, eventually killing him, I felt it. The world felt it. As long as the livelihood of Blacks in this country is threatened, we will continue to feel it.
Millions of people have since raised their voices in response to what Floyd’s murder confirmed for many –a reckless disregard for African American lives and the lack of justice for Black people in America.
In the last week, a fight for humanity manifested into marches and protests across the United States and around the world. People of all races, ethnicities, religions and values are standing together, demanding change. For change to be achieved, we need to adjust the system that is designed for Black people to lose. For change to be realized, we need to organize, implement and be strategic:
Get out and vote. Let’s target elected officials who have the most power to reform police departments and the criminal justice systems at the state and local levels. These officials include mayors, county executives, district and state attorneys who ultimately appoint the police chiefs and union representatives that decide whether to investigate and charge those involved in police misconduct.
Protest in Peace. On Saturday night with tears rolling down his face, Killer Mike put it best, “I am duty-bound to be here to simply say that it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy. It is your duty to fortify your own house in times of organization.” I understand that some use the guise of chaos to destroy our communities, but some of us are robbing from each other and destroying legacies our ancestors died protecting and this is counterproductive. Destroying the only food market in a food desert is not honoring the legacy of George Floyd.
Support Black. While all African Americans deserve to feel safe everywhere in this country, historically Black colleges and universities create safe space for our students to learn and grow. Let’s continue to support them. In the Greenwood District, the wealthiest and oldest all-Black community, historians marvel at how many times the dollar was circulated before it left the community. This type of support allowed this community to successfully sustain hundreds of African Americans and hundreds of businesses in the early 1900s. Our black businesses need this type of support today.
Everyone in our community has a unique story of racism and hurt. Everyone’s pain will reflect their individual set of experiences, and they will act as they are so compelled. It is not our place to judge, diminish, silence, or compare how pain or support is expressed. It is our place to stand together and focus on what matters, which is new government officials legislation, holding law enforcement accountable and investing into the Black community.
To be a Black man in America is to be fully armed at all times. More than anything, America needs change, progress and unity. I recognize that our country does not have a perfect past. We’ve had an especially difficult last few days but we can clearly recognize the need for justice and a global willingness to stand together.
The time is now.
