It's Been Two Years....

It’s been 2 years since we witnessed the horrific, public lynching of George Floyd, by a Minneapolis Police force. I say police force because even though one man, Derek Chauvin was the one physically snuffing the life out of Mr. Floyd, the other officers, by their inaction, participated in the murder.

By staying silent, not getting involved, and not doing or saying anything to prevent these acts of racially motivated hate and violence, you are an active participant in the hate and violence. You can no longer claim the innocence of ‘not me’, ‘I’m not a racist’, by your inaction. You can only claim ‘not me’ by your voice and actions against violent, racist acts both subconscious and conscious.

The racist murders in Buffalo, NY, proved that racial hatred and violence do not go away by ignoring color and not talking about race. Racists need to know that they are not welcome anymore. The conspiracy theorists, the replacement mongers, the white supremacists, and all of the other weirdo hate groups, need folks in privilege to call them out and shut them down.

Pretending not to see color and not to talk about race is exactly what these covert and overt hate groups want you to do. Racism flourishes in denial. Victory over racism will not be achieved as a result of avoidance.

So as we come to the 2-year mark of the inhumane, public lynching of George Floyd, I’m reflecting on what has changed. What’s different? It's disappointing but not surprising that the collective enthusiasm for creating safe, inclusive environments for all has died down from 2 years ago.

As much as white-bodied folks try to be empathetic to the treatment of Black-bodied folks, there is no way they can muster enough empathy to truly know what that pain and experience feel like. Therefore, for most folks of privilege, their allyship is one of convenience and not of necessity. And, because of that, it’s inconsistent at best.

My intention is not to bypass the progress that has been made. There is more awareness and more effort than ever. It’s the sustainability of the progress is where I have my reservations when I observe the hate that is more blatant and deadlier than ever.

When you hear of politicians making it harder for poor, Black communities to be able to vote, it takes you back to the laws of segregation and discrimination. It feels like we are going backward and that's wiping out all of the steps we have made to move forward. That’s when it’s easy to get discouraged and give up the hope that real, sustainable change is possible and will happen.

I’ve been doing some market research for a group program on Inclusive Leadership, and I have to say that the majority of white folks that I’ve spoken to about the program, left me feeling even more discouraged.

The question is, are white people willing to do the hard work? Are they able to see the benefit to them if they do? My experience is that they have the luxury of not having to do the work. In their minds, they will be fine either way. They don’t have the lived experience of being Black, so there is no urgency.

Are Black people willing to do the work that many folks before them have died doing? Are the exhaustion and frustration too strong to continue? Are we all willing to come together to create safety and use our voices for advocacy?

Is it worth the work, pain, and exhaustion for me to help white people get it? I ask myself that question every day. My go-to answer is NO. But then I look at all of the racially inspired deaths over hundreds and hundreds of years and I ask myself, who am I NOT to feel the pain and exhaustion of working for safe inclusive environments when so many have died because of the lack of them?

What gives me the right to give up when so many have and will continue to die at the hands of racially motivated violence? I don’t have that luxury. My life and the lives of generations after me are at stake. I have to do something. I don't get to avoid it either.

So, if you are someone who wants to link arms with me to create safe, inclusive environments for all, I'd like you to fill out this short survey. Hey, if I'm gonna create it, I need you to tell me what you need.

I appreciate your assistance in working for a better world for everyone.

>>Access the Survey Here<<