Community Driven Change is Gonna Come
The journey to change is hard for a reason. It is human nature to favor the tried and true over the unknown path. Even when the path is righteous, change is painful for everyone, including those who stand to benefit the most. For the privileged minority who benefit from the centralized control of power, the very idea of change can be menacing no matter what you call it. Much like revolution, which tends to end badly for those who would perpetuate social inequities, positive transformation is inherently unstable. As a result, the challenges associated with transformation are often perceived as a tough sell, too easily confused with destructive revolution. Without overwhelming support from a passionate community, transformation becomes virtually impossible to realize.
Empathy is Stronger Than Force
From a communications perspective, the language of counter culture has been all but appropriated to promote the next best thing. In business, calling a new technology “revolutionary” can be a noisy conversation killer. Political movements are no different from any new idea vying for public endorsement. Burning down the house overnight is far easier than affecting positive change over time. Violence can focus attention temporarily, but the damage it inflicts inevitably devastates the very communities that are most in need of healing. What is extraordinary about recent events is that both trajectories have unfolded across the world. After the appalling killing of George Floyd that was documented for the world to watch in horror, the idea that his name would simply join the long list of Black Americans who died senselessly at the hands of law enforcement officers was simply too much to bear. The ensuing civil unrest threatened to follow the familiar and tragic path of destructive revolution.
But then something truly remarkable happened. The human spirit triumphed. Americans of diverse racial backgrounds united to campaign for equality and healing. The peaceful protectors communicated a powerful message. Where tensions ran highest, they were literally disarmed by lawful public servants who responded to the public outcry for justice by rejecting and indeed denouncing the use of deadly force. Armed officers choosing to bend the knee and hug protesters across America become a symbol of everyone’s united vision for the country. The decision to prosecute the four Minneapolis police department officers who were implicated in the alleged murder still resonates with the hope for a better future.
If One of us Can’t Breathe, None of us Can
But why have Americans united behind a cause that until recently was perceived to be marginalized? In 2014, Eric Garner uttered the very words that would shatter the world when George Floyd echoed them tragically six years later. Peaceful protesters campaigning for the end of systemic racism in America rallied around the Black Lives Matter movement since 2013. But on May 25th 2020, the words "I can’t breathe" transcended racial identity and even partisan politics. We are all sick and tired of senseless death. The research published just two days later by APM’s Research Lab report titled The Color of Coronavirus is disheartening.
The data shows black Americans are 2.4 times more likely to die of COVID-19 as whites.
Very few of us could work on a vaccine for a deadly new virus, but anyone can march (literally and in spirit) on the path to healing racial injustice. The impact on public perception has been dramatic and measurable. Since May 25th, Google Trends search volume data for the USA shows Americans have Googled the term “george floyd” more than “covid”. Perhaps even more significant is how dramatically the conversation around Black Lives Matter has shifted. Change starts simply by sharing why the message resonates personally. Engaging others in conversation keeps it relevant regardless of ethnic identity.
I am hopeful for the future because the very act of acknowledging each other’s humanity can serve to change lives and even save lives together. Protesters across the world have expressed solidarity by echoing the message of peace and social justice in their own communities. Black Lives Matter to anyone who believes in a more equitable and just society - in the USA, UK, Australia, or anywhere else in the world.
About the Author
Ohad Flinker is a data-driven storyteller, Content Leadership trainer, and an authority on the digital transformation of work. Ohad has shaped go-to-market campaigns for cloud, cyber security, and B2B SaaS ventures – including three Fortune 500 acquisition deals. A passionate adopter of blockchain technology, he shares the stories that sound like speculative fiction at first pitch, but inevitably disrupt the future.