This moment feels familiar, but it also feels radically different
It feels like so much remains unchanged. . .
It’s distressing to see the lack of progress our society has made to meaningfully address police brutality against Black people (including women, children, and trans members of our community). It’s disheartening to see the persistent lack of economic opportunity for Black communities, Indigenous peoples, and people of color. And it’s frustrating to see this nation’s continued adherence to a segregated housing regime that results in poorer educational, public health, and economic outcomes for people that look like us.
None of this is new. For Black people in the U.S., this is our status quo. It is our reality in spite of the real — and meaningful — progress that generations of racial justice advocates, agitators, radicals, and everyday people have made through centuries of resistance and sacrifice.
At the same time, it feels like we’re on the cusp of a transformation. . .
But this moment also feels different. It seems like the wider American public is also fed up. And to those allies and aspiring co-conspirators, we say, “Welcome to the insurgence.” Sustained, multi-ethnic protests in communities across the nation (and the world) have transformed public discourse about systemic racism, white supremacy, privilege, and the constitutional guarantee to nonviolently petition the government. In the span of a few weeks, so-called “radical” policy solutions for policing and systemic racism have become fixtures of mainstream political debates. And there is growing recognition of the pandemic this nation has faced all along: systemic racism. It is that plague that has Black and Brown communities waging simultaneous battles against a novel coronavirus, an unjust economic system, and a corrupt criminal justice regime — all designed, it seems, to deprive our right to health, liberty, and life.
To our allies, loved ones, and collaborators:
We are in a revolutionary moment where, for some, the veil has been lifted on the United States’ deep-rooted anti-blackness and its commitment to upholding legacies of white supremacy. The tacit compact that enabled many Americans to remain silent on issues of systemic racism and police brutality no longer holds. In this moment, it is no longer tenable for most Americans to ignore, downplay, minimize, or rationalize institutionalized oppression and acts of state-sanctioned violence perpetrated against Black bodies. We watch as brands, institutions, and politicians issue solidarity statements with varying degrees of authenticity. We listen as relatives, strangers, and old high-school classmates share unexpected messages of apology and acknowledgement. That’s a start.
As Black people in the U.S., we’ve been seen through the veil. The onslaught of messages from people that now “understand our struggles” and “see our pain” can be confusing and angering — and, yet, they are a necessary sign of progress. To answer your questions, “no, we are not ok.” We are overwhelmed and tired of having to watch Black bodies being brutalized and slaughtered on video, to matter only in death and not life. In this moment, part of the work of allies and co-conspirators is to give us space to grieve, to hold space for our feelings of anger, hopelessness, hopefulness, and/or sadness — whatever they may be.
Rest in Power Ahmaud Arbery, Botham Jean, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Javier Ambler, Tony McDade and to all our Black kindred who have had their lives taken too soon.
Written by: Khalilha Haynes, Associate, Estolano Advisors and Richard France, Principal, Estolano Advisors
This piece is the first in a short series by Estolano Advisors and Better World Group team members to reflect on this moment and what it will take to create a just and equitable nation where Black Lives Matter.
