Black Liberation Is A Group Project
WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, BLACK LIBERATION HAS BEEN TREATED AS THAT DREADED SCHOOL GROUP PROJECT YOU RELUCTANTLY COMPLETE BECAUSE IT’S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF YOUR GRADE…WHICH IT IS. THERE’S ALWAYS THAT ONE PERSON WHO’S JUST THERE AND NOT CONTRIBUTING. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS SITTING ON THE SIDELINES, DOING NOTHING.
FOLLOWING ME AND BEING A PART OF THE SHINE BRIGHTER COMMUNITY IS A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE FIRST STEP IS BEING AWARE THAT OPPRESSION, ESPECIALLY RACISM, IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY. JUST WATCHING IT HAPPEN AND TALKING ABOUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH. LET’S HUDDLE AND DISCUSS THE GAME PLAN. GET UP-TO-SPEED WITH MY PURSE BLACK LIBERATION COURSE, WHICH FEATURES THE 21-DAY CHALLENGE TO SEE WHERE WE’RE HEADED. IT’S TIME TO GET OFF THE BENCH AND SIGN UP FOR A ROLE!
When We Let Others Do All the Work
THINKING OH, SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO IT. IS A SELF-ENTITLED BEHAVIOR. AND I DON’T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS, BUT IT ALWAYS LEADS TO RACISM FOR WHITE FOLKS. I’M NOT SAYING THAT WHAT YOUR WHITE ANCESTORS DID IS YOUR FAULT, BUT IT IS YOUR FAULT WHEN YOU DO NOTHING TO STOP IT. “HOW IS THAT?” YOU SAY. IT’S SIMILAR TO SEEING SOMEONE LITTER AT THE PARK. YOU HAVE THREE CHOICES: 1) MIND YOUR BUSINESS. IT’S NOT HARMING ANYBODY. 2) PICK IT UP YOURSELF. PROBLEM SOLVED (?). 3) SPEAK UP AND HOLD THAT PERSON ACCOUNTABLE. NOW, WHICH OPTION IS MORE LIKELY TO PREVENT LITTERING FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? THIS IS THE QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK WHEN PURSUING BLACK LIBERATION. DON’T BE THAT PERSON. DON’T BE THE ONE WHO’S MAKING THE GROUP PROJECT HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE.
When We Do It Alone
I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE AND NEITHER CAN YOU. NATURALLY, I’M ASSUMING THE ROLE OF THE ADVOCATE TO SPREAD THE PLIGHT OF BLACK FOLKS, BUT HONESTLY, I MOSTLY FEEL ALONE IN THIS. LIKE HOW MANY ANTI-RACISM INFLUENCERS DO YOU KNOW OR FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM? I’M DEDICATED TO BLACK LIBERATION BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME AND MY LOVED ONES. MY FAMILY’S MOVE TO SPAIN WAS FOR OUR PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL SAFETY. ALTHOUGH I AM CLEARLY AMERICAN, IT’S HARD TO CONSIDER AMERICA HOME WHEN RACIAL INJUSTICE MAKES IT SO UNWELCOMING AND UNCOMFORTABLE. DO YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOMEONE TO UNDERSTAND THE PAIN OF RACISM? OR IS IT MORE YOU’RE UNAWARE OF HOW INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM IS AND HOW THE AFTEREFFECTS OF SLAVERY ARE CONTINUING TODAY? I AM CURIOUS ABOUT HOW CAN I GET FOLKS OUTSIDE MY EXISTENCE TO BE MOTIVATED ABOUT THIS GROUP PROJECT. THE HARSH REALITY IS THAT THE PROBLEMS OF OTHERS AREN’T VALIDATED UNTIL OUTSIDERS CAN SEE THEM TOO. IF THIS NATION CONTINUES TO IGNORE BLACK FOLKS’ PAIN, THEN WE’LL NEVER FINISH THIS PROJECT.
When We Do It Together
LIKE GROUP WORK, WE NEED TO DIVVY UP THIS PROJECT SO THAT WE DON’T GET BURNOUT. NOT EVERYONE IS CALLED TO BE A PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT THERE’S A ROLE FOR EVERYONE. IN EVERY GROUP PROJECT, THERE ARE FIVE MAIN ROLES: FACILITATOR, SECRETARY, TIMEKEEPER, SUPPLY MANAGER, AND PRESENTER. NOW LET’S FRAME THIS FOR ANTI-RACISM.
THE FACILITATOR IS THE ROLE WE ALL SHOULD DO BECAUSE WE NEED TO KEEP EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE AND ON TASK. THESE ARE OUR ASSOCIATES, FRIENDS, AND FAMILY. THE SECRETARY IS OUR HISTORIANS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAVEN’T BEEN DOING THEIR JOB RIGHT. LIKE, WHY DO THEY KEEP TRYING TO REMOVE SLAVERY FROM THE BOOKS? THE TIMEKEEPER IS THE TRICKY ONE BECAUSE IT COULD BE ANYONE WHO KNOWS YOU’RE PURSUING BLACK LIBERATION. BUT ONE WAY WE MONITOR OUR PROGRESS IS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. WHETHER IT’S AN INSTAGRAM CHALLENGE OR FACEBOOK MEMORIES, THESE APPS ARE A CONSTANT REMINDER OF WHO WE WERE AND WHO WE ARE. THE SUPPLY MANAGERS ARE OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS. THE PRESENTER IS OUR ADVOCATES AND ACTIVISTS. THIS APPLIES TO THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING OVER THE MEGAPHONE OR SPEAKING UP FOR AN INDIVIDUAL BEING MISTREATED AT A GROCERY STORE. DO ONE OR ALL, WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS YOUR STRENGTH.