Reflecting on Black Men Dying & King’s Dream by John Hamilton, Ed.D.

These past three days have been disturbing for many of us who watched the body camera footage of the murder of Tyre Nichols. The past week have been strained knowing that some of my Asian allies lost friends and family in the Monterey Park and Alhambra mass shootings. I am thinking about Keenan Anderson who was allegedly tased to death by the Los Angeles Police Department. I am thinking about conversations I have had with Black and Brown men who ages range from 15-75 years old who were trying to process and understand the abuse under the color of authority by the five Black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

Fifty-five years after Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, I am reminded of the Drum Major for Justice’s words, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." This was a hard lesson in the Civil Rights Movement when the social injustices of Blacks were shown across the world on television. This was a hard lesson on May 25, 2020, when George Floyd was murdered for the world to see. When King was leading the Civil Rights Movement equality was the outcome we sought. Systemically, equity was concealed behind equality and institutionalized racism. Even in education, when we boast of equality; racial equity is hidden behind the outcome we seek. We speak of the equity gaps and not the opportunity gaps that are the uncontrollable life factors that are the cause of student success.

I know for some; racial equity is no longer a hot topic. I know for some; racial equity is a challenge. I know for some racial equity; is no longer trending. The urgency for equality and/or racial equity has lost its momentum in some spaces. We all should be reminded by King’s words that, “We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice. We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now.” Time is of the essence not only for us, but for future generations. How have you and your organization measured where you are in terms of strengths and opportunities for enhancing equity? How are you sharing on a frequent basis how you champion equity? How are you championing what is equal versus equitable?

As I continue to contemplate these murders and King’s legacy, I am reminded on how he partnered, collaborated, and created allies to address the social injustices for Black people. Additionally, other communities of color benefitted from King’s work and leadership. History indicates we understood the fight for civil rights, we understood the battle, the consequences, and the challenges of not moving forward together. We should be able to unite without the catalyst of one of us being murdered, discriminated against, and/or racialized. After 55 years, we still struggle to be intentional about our unification. Let’s continue to move the needle of equality, equity, and human decency. Let’s not forget the words of King, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

Lastly, this week, some of your staff and colleagues will be carrying some emotional pain from the murder of Tyre Nichols. For many, the goal will be to work through it. Equity Expert, Dr. Shaun Harper makes five recommendations below to engage staff during this time:

1.????A genuine expression of how the video personally made them feel. This requires leaders to actually watch the video in its entirety once it’s released.

2.????An acknowledgement that Nichols’ murder isn’t an isolated incident, but instead a continuation of the longstanding practice of police killings of unarmed Black Americans

3.????An acknowledgement that while all employees who’ve seen the video or heard about Nichols’ murder are likely negatively affected, Black colleagues are undoubtedly more devastated because Nichols was Black.

4.????Encouragement to engage in self-care, including, but not limited to taking time off to recover from the trauma of this most recent racial crisis.

5.????An affirmation of the value of Black lives. Doing this will be challenging for some executives who believe that all lives matter.

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John Hamilton, Ed.D.

IG: @johnhamilton1906