Ryan Herring: The Ghetto Monk Activating Justice — Part 2
First written March 3, 2015 by Zakiya Jackson
This is part 2 of Collected Young Mind’s interview with Ryan Herring for our #BlackMenRock series. Please enjoy Part 1 here, where Ryan talks about The Ghetto Monk, his travels, finding your place in movements and how Millennials and older generations can work together. Throughout this interview, you will see my thoughts interspersed in italics.
ZJ: When was your faith born?
RH: Well I’m a PK. I’ve been in the church all my life. I’ve seen and heard social justice in the church and through the church my entire life.
SMLXL
A very pivotal point in my faith journey was MLK day January 17th 2011. That’s the day I accepted my call. I decided to pick up my cross and follow God wherever God led me. It was an interesting time because a few years prior I had left the AME church. At that time in my life I wasn’t in church regularly. I took that time to try to figure out my faith.
Though he is a child of hip hop, Ryan’s father played this song, Up to the Mountain, by folk legend Patty Griffin, on MLK Day 2011. This song changed Ryan’s life because it inspired him to accept his call. Like the song lyrics tell, Ryan is committed to a life that may not get to the peaceful valley found on the other side of the mountain–the mountain that Dr. King spoke of during the march on the National Mall.
Nonetheless, Ryan will continue to pursue this mountaintop justice — and one day we will all be free.
ZJ: What did it feel like to be on the ground in Ferguson?
RH: Each time was quite a different experience. Definitely there were opportunist there — which was disheartening to see. There was also a different vibe to the protesting from any place I’ve ever been. The community there is strong.
Get to the Ferguson police department #Ferguson #O22 pic.twitter.com/T7gyEJevIV
— Ryan Herring (@infiniteideal) October 23, 2014
Then I saw the ugliness there. The way the police have chosen to respond. The organizers there are under a very real threat. I saw them targeted by police. It’s different to see it. This is how the empire operates. The empire seeks to silence those who fight back against oppression. Canfield is holy ground — to see Mike Brown’s memorial.
ZJ: Does it get worse before it gets better?
RH: I definitely think it gets worse before it gets better. In the midst of mass demonstration, we still see police brutality. It’s frightening to see this. Things will have to get worse if we want everyone involved. Even though social media connects us with people in any city it will still have to hit close to home for people to understand that the culture of policing has to change.
Top = ghetto…bottom = monk pic.twitter.com/HAn8vKh5yv
— Ryan Herring (@infiniteideal) November 4, 2014
ZJ: What gives you hope?
RH: My understanding of God’s work in all of this. Ultimately God is on our side and love and justice will prevail. I’m really believing it. That’s not just hype. There’s a certain type of joy that comes out of struggle and resistance that restores my hope. The creativity that is inspired by the movement. Seeing all of that just really gives me hope. Seeing that change is possible.
(Wow. Those are those warm words that I mentioned in Part 1 of this interview. Words that push me to see hope and persevere.)
ZJ: What is the number one most played song or album for you right now?
RH: J.Cole — the one that just dropped. There has to be some turn up every now and again. Migos is in rotation. You got to be able to laugh. Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged. Dead Prez kinda gets me hype to protest.
ZJ: What’s the role of music in movements?
RH: It’s soooo important. Protest needs some movement music. Things that express how we are feeling. Music also brings people together. Some of my most vivid memories of protest have music involved. Like when we were protesting in Ferguson, walking to the police station and “We shall overcome” comes on. Music helps us breathe life back into the movement.
ZJ: What are you reading?
RH: I’m still working my way through God of the Oppressed by James Cone. I’m also reading Soledad Brother by George Jackson — his prison letters written when he was locked away. And also Black Awareness of Theology of Hope. I always joke that my favorite spots are the smallest places in the bookstore — religion and African American studies.
ZJ: Okay let’s switch it up — What do you use in your hair other than coconut oil?
RH: I had dreads in the past. A few years ago I decided to stop putting chemicals in my hair. Someone suggested sesame seed oil — for the beard. I’m gonna try that. I’m trying to be more conscious of what I put on and in my body.
ZJ: How did your book come about?
RH: The more I read, the more I felt like I had something to say. The past efforts with tweeting and things, I had so many friends who felt betrayed by the black church. If people can make connections between real life stuff and the gospel, they’d be more attracted to church. My senior thesis was on the Trinity. On how the social doctrine of the trinity deconstructs capitalism through it’s implications of ecclesiology.
(Folks, I almost understood what he said here the first time he said it! Do I get two snaps for that?)
So after that…I wanted to write something. I knew I wanted it to be short. 10,000 words. 40 pages. Ever since I went through undergrad and was introduced to all these theologies, I wanted a way to connect them to ordinary every day lived out experiences.
ZJ: In one part of your book you said, “But we cannot afford to be lulled into a state of complacency after each victory, no matter how significant they are. We must persist.” How do we make sure we don’t do that?
RH: I don’t know. I think in terms of the current movement, we’re not gonna run into that particular problem. Even with the victory of Obama there was all this post-racial talk. Lies. But so far in this movement — people keep getting killed. So this keeps us going. Movement should always be led from the margins. Someone has to lose. Leadership should come from the margins. That will keep things progressing.
ZJ: Who are those people?
RH: Those who suffer from police brutality. People of color. Poor people. LGBTQ. Women. Incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people.
Smh RT @MichaelSkolnik: The new cover of The New Yorker. MLK edition. pic.twitter.com/mSGevTq189 — Ryan Herring (@infiniteideal) January 17, 2015
In the New Yorker cover, none of the women who where killed were on there. It’s interesting because you have the MAU — queer black women. Hands Up United — single black mothers. Women have always been the backbone of the movement. The space is new for them to be at the front.
It’s kinda been organic — the space created for women. In other places you have organizations that were male driven; now they are getting pushback. For me personally, I try to make that space.
There’s a romanticized view of the civil rights movement. Even with MLK. They make a narrative that it was all about him. As soon as people accept that not everyone needs to be at the front, then you can let others be there. There’s a lot of egos. I’ve been in meetings with a lot of people. Mayors. Congressmen. I feel out of place sometimes.
I’m good at being strategic and mobilizing. Planning action. I’m also good for mobilizing clergy. Knowing where I fit in has been good. I don’t need to invade anyone’s space.
Every organization that I’ve been in contact with — most of the leadership has been female. I don’t really see people from our generation being upset about that.
ZJ: What do you love about being black?
RH: Everything… I love our heritage, I love our struggle and our appearances, music, I love it all.
ZNJ: Final Question. What is it important for people to know about Black Men.
RH: Well if it’s the police it’s important that they know they don’t have to fear us. That umm…I think…I think….for different people I would have a different answer.
Black women — black men love you, appreciate you and support you.
(Amen! I knew that…love hearing it…say it. Again. And again. Cause we need to hear it brothas. Thank you. Those words are like…waiting to exhale.)
Black men –that this world doesn’t define us. This world can neither deny us our humanity or our dignity.
Everyone else — we are definitely not monolithic. We are complex and diverse.
#BlackLoveDaypic.twitter.com/VyAiAyhpLw — Ryan Herring (@infiniteideal) February 13, 2015
Collected Young Minds would like to thank Ryan Herring for being a part of our #BlackMenRock series and helping us reclaim the story of Black Men in America.
