Picking Up the Pieces in Order to Heal: A Brief Meaningful Conversation with Pew Charitable Trusts and Pew Research about Systemic Racism.

My hands shook as I wrote this article. I'm a newly minted attorney fighting the career advice I've been giving my entire life: don't make waves first, get established and then go from there. Yet, I cannot do that. I don't know how to sit idly by. I don't know how to not try. I don't know how to give up. I am too old to lie to myself. I know that we have to heal as we all have the same goal: to take care of our loved ones and live a pursuit of happiness somewhat promised and not be terrified in and outside of our homes. Blame it on me being a native Texan, a proud Sooner, a Capricorn, naive... I accept it. I hope this quick read foster seeds for long lasting thought and conversation.

The cover picture courtesy of #arcgis showing the events of Red Summer 100 years ago is not that much different than what we see now. Black citizens terrorized in their own community. I can not pretend that the second picture courtesy #KOUW does not represent a degree of progress. Descendants of Red Summer acknowledging our various American experiences are different, disparate and difficult. I found myself looking for a way to help. I specialize is starting conversations between people and groups who are not trying to hear other. I hope this quick read does that.

In the middle of COVID-19, the murders of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, and Breonna Taylor ripped a wound that has never healed or been acknowledged for many of our citizens. What emerged from that week of public horrors was not just calls about #policebrutality or #healthcare disparity, but a desire for larger more substantive conversations including calls for accountability from corporate America. As the calls for accountability came in rapid fire, I came across a post by @GabrielaIlla, a 3L who is specializing in health care advocacy in a discussion with @ThePewCharitableTrusts. 

She had some pointed questions and I wanted to know more myself. @ElaineBowman, VP of Pew Charitable Trusts reached out immediately. She got me in touch with @KilHuh, VP of Government Performance.  I make a point to be bridge builder when I can. I knew vaguely about @PewResearch. Didn’t realize the wealth of the Trust, but I wanted to know more. What exactly is this charitable foundation doing to stop this bloody tide of #systemicracism.  We arranged a zoom meeting. Kil and I met halfway on that bridge of understanding.  

He explained the difference between Pew Charitable Trusts and Pew Research. He gave me some invaluable links which are listed below. But more than anything, what Kil, impressed upon me the most is that while every contribution is valid, every contribution is not same.  Pew Research and Charitable trusts contribute quantitative empirical data that we can all see for ourselves. On issues that matter right now, the criminal justice system, student loans, consumer finance Relevant data on issues that impact us all with a disproportionate impact on Black Americans but issues that we all can relate to.  

When we as a nation, debate defunding the police or reform the criminal justice system, the arguments are somewhat hollow as there is often no standard recognized source of data as to the impact of the criminal justice system on citizens? Stratified by race, gender, SES. I learned that Pew has done that. Some for student borrowing and its long term impact.   

 I am not going to go into each subject the links are there. My point of it is as an attorney, as a black prosecutor, I can only advocate for one thing justice. I have made the choice to remove my thoughts to serve the public. As a Black woman who is a native Texan, I inherently understand that the systems that are in place for us to have a civilized society many times act in every way but civilized and all of us suffer the consequences. 

 Is there room for Pew Charitable Trusts to address specific needs by funding and grants for #blackpeople? Of course, there is always more work to do.  Pew Charitable Trusts took the time out to answer hard questions realizing that it would result in harder answers. This is where the work for all of us begins in our own respective paths. Empower yourself with information on a variety of subjects so that when you sit down at the dinner table, virtual water cooler, etc., we can move past the emotion and passion so rightfully deserved and begin to formulate policies that are practical, realistic and constitutional not just acknowledging the humanity of some of us, but fiercely protecting the humanity of all of us.    

The most striking thing about our conversation is that Kil wondered if his work was worth it at times given all that is going on. 

I didn’t find out where the money is nor did I receive a hashtag commitment, but what I did receive in this encounter was something far more valuable: quantified information I can use to develop my advocacy plan as a citizen. 

Here are some valuable relevant links so in the spirit of transparency, you can see for yourself where the dollars that Pew Charitable Trusts and Pew Research are invested in: all of us. 

I learned just from reading a short post on LinkedIn asking questions and having the courage to remove my assumptions helped me appreciate the work that is not always seen by our tireless researchers around the nation. I hope that is information helps you as well fight to eradicate systemic racism. And for that alone, I hope that Kil and Pew Research and Pew Charitable Trusts realizes alone with us, we have a long way to go, but all of this is worth a better world. And that renders no one's work in vain.  

#activelistening #systemicracism #pewcharitabletrust #pewresearch

Tiffani Mims is a lot of things but for the sake of this article, just a pragmatic citizen who knows we have to not only question but have the audacity to listen and the courage to accept a fundamental truth: change to our fundamental societal systems is here to stay. Just want to provide quick reads to prompt long lasting thought and change.

Pew Charitable Trusts: 

1. Civil Legal Systems Modernization: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/06/05/effects-of-debt-lawsuits-on-civil-courts-and-consumers-obscured-by-lack-of-data 
2. Public Safety Performance Project: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2020/04/policy-reforms-can-strengthen-community-supervision 
3. Consumer Finance: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/opinion/2020/02/11/a-wealth-of-evidence-backs-high-cost-loan-reform 
4. Project for Student Borrower Success: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2019/11/student-loan-system-presents-repayment-challenges 

Pew Research Center: 

1. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/06/11/unemployment-rose-higher-in-three-months-of-covid-19-than-it-did-in-two-years-of-the-great-recession/ 
2. https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2019/04/09/race-in-america-2019/