I’m going to be unapologetically and authentically me. In the famous words of Alexander Hamilton “If you stand for nothing Burr, what'll you fall for?”
Recent events have tapped into some painful past experiences. They have been buried deep and now brought back to the surface with a visceral pace. Let’s not mince words… it was traumatic and now I find myself in an interesting juxtaposition. Where to go and what to do with so much pain and tension to unpack? But also fear that the “unpacking” could make the problem harder to solve.
I want to educate, I want to share, I want to improve the conversation.
The images you have seen across media platforms highlight how my complexion can have grave consequences. A young woman in Central Park, NYC stated: “I’m going to call the cops and tell them that there is an African American man threatening my life"… Think about that. A birdwatcher noticed a woman not following the park rules and spoke up. Her immediate reflex was to call upon an unspoken hierarchy that would trigger an immediate response. The birdwatcher broke no rules, in fact… he was upholding them. The ability for anyone to leverage a racial bias and weaponize with no consequences is vile.
Using the Central Park example, you get a glimpse of the challenges associated with race. This is part of our country’s history.
Which left me asking myself a few questions:
How many of my friends are bothered by the events in the last few weeks?
How many of my friends understand that any of the recent unfathomable scenarios could have been me?
How many of my friends understand that plenty of terrible things have already happened to me?
How many of my friends know that I’m lucky that those experiences haven’t cost me my life?
How many of my friends would trade their life’s predisposition for mine?
You should also be aware of the links between social injustice, socioeconomic status and the wealth gap that exists. It’s nothing new. McKinsey & Company highlighted that despite the focus on education, the gap in wages has widened in the last 20 years between college educated African American and Caucasian employees. The median African American family has 1/10th the wealth of the median Caucasian family. As of 2019, 3.2% of Corporate America’s executive positions are held by African Americans and the boards of our largest companies do not reflect the communities they serve or society at large. Furthermore, African American success stories come with an awesome responsibility to uplift a community which has been historically disenfranchised. Role models, mentors and community leaders are a must.
But there is hope, and we can all help. Many have reached out, asked what can be done and have offered their support. Admittedly, it’s not a magic bullet, but here are few thoughts I’ve collected over the years:
We need to be honest about who we are, and what we believe. Find the flaws.
We need to see color.
We need to see the potholes that won’t just blow a tire, but can take a life if not handled with extreme caution.
We need to understand that skin color comes with a pre-programmed, biased software package for how the world views people. It sets in motion decisions we haven’t even made yet.
We need to see the core of man, where they come from, and where they want to go.
We need to listen.
We need to read more.
We need to talk less, we need to speak more.
We need to be brave.
We need our actions to dwarf our words.
We need to empower each other with the confidence, tools and conviction to stand tall when it is most uncomfortable.
We need to recognize that tears have run freely and hearts ache for the senseless murder of beautiful lives that would have changed our world for the better.
We need to recognize that the very fabric of this country yields the garments that need to keep our children safe.
There is beauty in the current chaos. Minds have been opened (at least partially) and myriads of people around the world are shouldering some of the burden. Thank you to those who have checked in on me, your words matter and are very much appreciated. The conversation does not end here. I created publicDIVISION to celebrate and unite those very things that make us different. Our unique individuality and passion coupled with a hue that amplifies our presence… We use apparel as medium to bridge the many divisions so we can focus on enjoying life’s best moments. 15,442 days and counting.
Cj
#whatsyourstory