ON THIS DAY IN 2020 – DO YOU REMEMBER? I WILL NEVER FORGET!

Three years ago today, when we were all locked down in open prisons of our homes with one hour of prison privilege of exercise, on the streets of Minneapolis, a black man, named?George Floyd?became a global symbol of injustice, racism and brutality.

Many of us will know where we were, what we were doing and above all what we felt. So much so, that we risked our own personal and societal lives to take to the streets, risk infection and even death.

Again, equitable, diverse and inclusive mankind became the powerful force of a right that we had only had a chance in our busy worlds made aware of by?8 minutes and 46 seconds.?

Since that time, pledges, promises and platitudes of righting the wrongs to date with racial inequality and the protected characteristics see all institutions of public, private and related entities respond with educational health, wellbeing and ambition of skills, talent and potential contributing to the sense of worth that would see social, cultural, economic contribution to family, community and society as a whole.

Whilst black lives do indeed matter and continue to matter, the role of sport and the arts, in response to this global moment in time and led by the African American sportsmen and women, who, by their solidarity of purpose have seen real sustainable evidenced changes that will see reparation, representation and geo-political inspiration continue to motivate the changes that must continue to take place.?Colin Kaepernicksymbolised that generation with the taking of the knee that was to illustrate a stand that would see the world again reflect an inspired act of non-violent resistance resulting from?Martin Luther King’s?inspired challenge to civil rights and racist injustices of the time.?

Sportsmen and women throughout the world then took the knee, but upon standing up, what has been our global solidarity of effort and above all what has the evidence of impact been as we have recently seen with Brazilian footballer?Vinicius Junior, complacency can lead to regression with the resulting violence that follows.?

Like all things in life, we must look to the past to inform the present to inform the future as to how we overcome slavery in all of its forms, civil rights that provide democratic and political power and emancipatory hope and opportunity for our young people.

Everyone will have a personal and professional feeling and hopefully momentary reflection and above all reaffirmed commitment that will see opportunity and hope replace disaffection and disadvantage.

For all those who have inspired the journey to date, from?Harry Belafonte?to the unheralded and unacknowledged passing of?Jim Brown?to?Muhammad Ali?and?Tina Turner?who so much epitomised and survived the disaffection of the black man in?Ike Turner,?may God’s grace and blessings provide stories that will engage, equip and empower all those who have the eyes to see, the ears to hear and the heart and soul to see a spirit of activism realised.

The final word rests with?Darnella Fraser,?a young 17 year old student who not only had the presence of mind, but the fortitude of character to use her mobile phone to record that historic moment in time and the presence of mind to upload it and share it with the world. The single act of youthful effort and the reminder that we are all equal in the eyes of whom ever we believe created us and as a result saw us evolve.

And something that represents the endangered species that is the young black male and for that matter all black males who are not afforded the opportunity to make a positive worthwhile and meaningful contribution to society.

My personal and professional feeling of dejection then and motivation now, on this day is for you to listen, hear and feel, then act.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idC5z3lIfJQ