I’m starting a new series of blog posts which aim to address
the following questions:
- Do things really need to get any
worse in our country before we start to see real change?
- What are the conditions that can
cause a collective whole to create societal change?
- What are some examples of
progressive change happening in America?
All that said…I’ll start with how I’m feeling now about the
topic of change in America…FRUSTRATED.
Over the summer I had the pleasure of teaching third and
sixth grade students more about the Civil Rights movement. While doing that, I
also educated myself quite a bit.
I’ve always had a breadth of knowledge about different
experiences and stories of the Civil Rights movement; At the same time, having
learned about the Civil Rights Movement with a “breadth-of-stories” approach, I
think I missed out in learning the specificity of adversity, contributions and
admirable character traits which shape so many of the narratives of this time.
It sort of all got lumped together in – things were really bad, and these
people did great things so you can have a great life.
Through teaching the specific story of the lunch-counter
sit-ins to my students, I learned more about the strategic efforts that went
into enacting the change those particular participants in the movement wanted
to see. I was amazed by the sense of dedication, passion and resilience that
those participants possessed, and also impressed by the results of their
efforts. When I saw The Butler movie
that recently came out, I let out a quick/small burst of excitement when I saw
the Woolworth’s restaurant because I actually knew what this was about and
could speak to the efforts those college students placed in arranging the
sit-ins and having to deal with pepper
being thrown at them, being spat on, having ketchup and hot coffee
poured over them all for a greater purpose.
I begin this post with a lens of the Civil Rights movement
for many reasons. The Civil Rights
movement is a movement loaded with rich history, amazing leadership and unsung
heroes. The collective whole brought about a change to a society which was in
dire need of change. In my opinion…my
country is still in DIRE NEED OF CHANGE.
I want to be a part of a movement that causes change. The only problem
is…I DON’T KNOW HOW OR WHAT TO DO TO CAUSE CHANGE? And I should clarify…there
has been a lot of positive change and progress that has been made for several
causes. Gay marriage is a great example of people rallying together for a cause
and creating some results. The changes I want to see have more to do with gun
violence, racial profiling, and unfair legislation and systemic racism which
keeps blacks and other persons of color disenfranchised.
Despite the apathetic
and complacent attitudes usually associated towards racial socio-political
affairs, there are plenty of people who want to enact change in our society. I think there are a good number of people who
may share my feeling of wanting to help change the landscape regarding these
issues, but usually get caught up trying to tackle the following hurdles:
- I don’t know who the enemy is – so
unlike during the times of the 1960’s Civil Rights era, there doesn’t seem to
be a clear antagonist or singular piece of legislation that could/can magically
make things better for the plight of the racially oppressed or countless gun
violence victims living in America. It
appears that the “enemy” has taken on a stealth persona caught up in
bureaucratic red tape. Not to mention all of the people that believe we live in
a post-racial society, and/or those who avidly seek to maintain/protect our
current gun laws. This feeling of a nebulous/invisible enemy is troubling and unsettling
for someone who wants to see change. Regardless
of the enemy’s visibility factor, the outcomes and repercussions of the
“enemy’s” presence is very visible and has had real dire consequences on our
communities and lives.
- What is our Approach? In the event
that there are clear and precise targets to go after that will change the
systems of racial oppression and gun violence, the question then becomes, what
is the approach change agents should use to catalyze and sustain the desired
results? This was often something that was debated during the 1960’s Civil
Rights movement. I personally can’t see a “by any means necessary” in tow with
a gun in hand as the most reasonable way to address gun violence. As ridiculous
as that sounds, I use it to illustrate the point in that a strategic approach
is one that can capture people’s attention, rally support and create
change. The approach to the Civil Rights
movement has often been studied and revered for its keen approach in creating
the results it sought to garner. If there is indeed going to be change
regarding systems of racial oppression and gun violence, what does it look like
to create that change?
- Immediacy of Results : The last
hurdle that I feel like blows out my candle to create change is the immediacy
of results. Even if there were to be a clear target to suitably approach to
create change…how long would it take for real change to take place and what
would be the long-term sustainability of that change? I often question the
immediacy factor because as someone who grew up in the “microwave” generation,
I expect to see things must faster.
There’s a “fruits of my labor/return on investment” mentality that I
can’t help to shake. As a teacher that works at a school in crisis, I
constantly am wrestling with the education reform approach taken to address the
school’s needs and wondering about the results we’ll see. Sure, some of the
kids test scores have gone up, but many of the students are significantly
behind academically, and let’s not even begin to talk about the
social-emotional pieces which need to be addressed. Will gun violence really be
reduced because of new gun laws? Will racial oppression just find a new way to
mask itself into the fabric of society if other systemic pillars are challenged
and destabilized? How do we champion the
progress made with Obama and yet recognize the journey ahead with Trayvon
Martin?
I’m not an expert, but I’m open to suggestions and ways I
can educate myself. I take a risk in sharing this because I could come off
extremely ignorant to current movements/organizations that are trying to
address the issues I mentioned. Either way, I believe this country is in dire
need of change. I will exchange looking ignorant for a way to look involved in
creating change. Yes I’m a teacher…and I don’t discount the work I’m doing to
bring about positive changes in the lives of young people… I’m seeking an
additional affiliation though. I want to be a part of an urgent macro-level
change movement that reduces gun violence and helps uplift racially oppressed
people economically and socially. I know it may sound lofty…but if Dr. King can
dream….why can’t I?
Please listen to the words in the video below which really
capture my sentiment.
Hi friends…I wouldn’t quite say I’ve had writer’s block
since my last update…(maybe I’m in denial). The truth is that I was insanely
busy teaching summer school, traveling every weekend, getting involved with my
church, and enjoying the company of my friends and family. All that said, I’m so happy to be back with
UnExpert updates and I sincerely appreciate all of the love and support you
have shown me as a reader of this blog. It’s been a year since I started this
blog on a whim and it’s been such a great experience to share my thoughts with
all of you. 
