The Time is Now
Usually, when one decade ends and a new one begins, we look back on the previous and reminisce… We feel nostalgic, as we recall our favorite teams’ championship run, and cry together over the memories of schools shootings, mass murders or any other happenings most would consider a tragedy. Whether, they’re the good times or the bad times, we as Human beings usually attach the passing of time to growth & enlightenment. I think about the mentality I possessed as a teenager, and the ignorance I had about finances. I used to believe, the older you got, the more money you would automatically earn over time. I was certain there was some type of “We know you’re cranky, tired & dealt with a lot of bullshit in your life already, so here” stipend out there with my name on it. As time passes & I still wait for that ” I got old Man strength now” check, I think about what has changed over the past couple decades. Clothes got tighter, mainstream music went to shit and tech forever changed how we live… 🤔
There were a ton of changes over the past 20 years, that have solidified our advancement as a society, but there are still far too areas in which America is failing its people. We still struggle to feed our citizens, as over 40 Million people are going to bed hungry every night. Our housing is just as big of an issue, with almost 20% of the population being homeless and the healthcare system is flat out trash, with over a third of the population possessing medical debt (myself included). Despite all those being horrible on their own, our country continues to play both sides of the fence on the rights their Black & Brown citizens have. For generations, Black/African & LatinX people were sold this fairy tale about America being the “Land of the Free” and that if you work hard enough, you will be given what you’re owed… And many of us believed it, some still do. Well, I’ll be the billionth one to call bullshit on that. African and LatinX people have made significant contributions to the societal structure of the cozy American lifestyle we live today. Black & Brown people hold that title while also continuing to represent over half the prison population… Why is that??? We know about racist police departments & politicians, whose discrimination holds up in court. We also know about oppressive systems that make it harder for certain groups of people to succeed, but there’s more to it than that as well…We as cultures have lost our way…
As thousands across the country expressed their condolences, after the video of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder was finally released, I spent a lot of time reading various articles and comment sections, just to get a feel for how the country was reacting. “Horrid”, “Disgusting” and “Fucking ridiculous ” were just some of the common phrases I noticed when referring to the video. And though I understand non-nonsensical gun violence is never an easy to fathom, unfortunately I have to admit, I wasn’t at all surprised this happened… If you’re a Black/African or LatinX person in this country, you’ve spent your entirety of your life dealing with some sort of discrimination, harassment or violence based solely on what you look like. Of course, I’m not attempting to belittle the horrific way this young Brother was killed or even the sufferance his family faced as they awaited justice. To me, this was just another wake up call for how ignorant the rest of the country remains in reference to what it’s TRULY like to be a Black Man in this country. But, I’m not going to blame the entirety of our people’s situation on the oppressive hand. There is some responsibility that falls on our hands, as continue to neglect the glaring faults in our communities. We NEED to empower our future captains by leading through example. We need less of “My Nigga this” or “My Bitch that” and replace it with “My Brother” & “My sister”. Think what that does to one’s psyche over time??
Now, I could spend the remainder of this piece talking about what I believe most White people should or shouldn’t be doing to help eradicate these systems, but that’s not why I’m here writing this… I wrote this with the hopes for motivation of our Black & Brown leaders of tomorrow to STEP IT UP. We retweet police brutality videos & post angry statuses on Facebook, but in the grand scheme of things, it does nothing. Yes, social media helped catch 2 murderers and expose a corrupt Georgian Government, but, alone, it will never end unjust systems meant to suppress under-served communities. It will never cause for prison reform. It will never end excessive force and police brutality. And we know for a fact, it won’t end discrimination as a whole. We can’t expect change to just be given to you by the same hand that oppresses you…So, what should we do you ask? Good question, act like you give a damn is what!
I’ve spent a lot of this quarantine gaining new skills to not only help become a better version of myself for my unborn kids, but to be a better advocate for those who look like me. One book that I’ve read recently that substantially helped me was Dr. Na’im Akbar’s “Know Thy Self” . It speaks on several topics, including:
The importance of educating you & your loved ones on the accomplishments of Black & Brown people
Celebrate all victories made by Black & Brown people, big or small
Stress the importance of investing in some type of education
Define & develop a shared vision of success for yourself & your people!
These are just some of the many techniques provided in both, “Know Thy Self” & “Breaking the Chains”, also by Dr. Na’im Akbar. very insightful books worth reading, especially now. Not like there’s much else to do, might as well help inspire a generation! With that being said, don’t be like my teenage self & wait for that mystery “Racism & discrimination magically disappeared” voucher to come, it never will.
Thanks for the read & stay healthy!
“If our people are to fight their way out of bondage, we must arm them with the sword and the shield and the buckler of pride-belief in themselves and their possibilities based on a sure knowledge of the past.”
Mary McLeod Bethune, Educator, Social Visionary, Civil Rights Activist, Political Stateswoman
