The Conversation That Must Not Fade

It’s been nearly six weeks since the law enforcement shootings of two African-American men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, and the attacks on police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge. There have been instances when tragic events in the news feel far from our work at Tipping Point, but not this time. In our country, race, poverty and the administration of our criminal justice system are inextricably linked.

The net worth of the typical white household in California is 25 times that of an African-American one. One in two African-Americans and Latinos live in poverty in the Bay Area. Here in San Francisco, the median annual income among African-Americans is $27,000, compared with $89,000 for whites, a gap twice the national average. And black people are 8.8 times as likely to be imprisoned as white people.

The circumstances of these incidents, these deaths, are forcing more and more people to wake up. But, what’s happening in the world right now is not new. Thanks to the ubiquity of technology, now it’s undeniable. With a camera in the pocket of almost every citizen, everyone can see today what people of color and those living in poverty in this country have always known and experienced. As New York Times contributor and Georgetown sociology professor, Michael Eric Dyson wrote, “What goes on in black communities across this nation is horrid, as it would be in any neighborhood depleted of dollars and hope — emptied of good schools, and deprived of social and economic buffers against brutality.”

When a citation for selling cigarettes or CDs on the street escalates into a life-threatening altercation, we have to consider that the original crime was one of poverty. You don’t stand on a corner selling whatever you can get your hands on if you aren’t struggling. That struggle is felt now more than ever in the Bay Area, where it takes at least four minimum wage jobs to make ends meet.

For the past few weeks, I have listened to the voices of our community — to people that feel, experience and understand these issues more than I will ever be able to. I have also been searching for the right words, for some big action to take. And I have to say, much of the time I have felt at a loss. These issues did not surface overnight, and they will take time to resolve. But, the increasing number of conversations about race, class and privilege happening among people who’ve never had to confront those concepts or felt comfortable uttering those words gives me hope.

The deck is stacked in favor of some of us. It does not mean we have not worked hard or overcome challenges — just that for many of us, our lives have been opportunity rich. In some communities, opportunity is scarce. If white people begin to question ways we have benefitted because of our skin color, that’s positive. If people of color begin to feel they can express their whole selves in a room, a workplace, a discussion, that’s progress. It’s not enough, but it’s a start. Our biggest responsibility is to ensure that this conversation does not fade from our public consciousness as the political cycle heats up and other news fills the headlines.

We live in a nation that is unequal, and there are real and fatal consequences. For black and brown people living in multigenerational poverty, the relationship between law enforcement and community is broken. Too many young people are lost to violence in the communities we live in, and too many police officers have also lost their lives while trying to protect us. Both sides have paid the price in the hardening of perspective.

Philanthropy has been a bridge between the for-profit and non-profit sectors, between intentions and results, but if we don’t explore the deep systemic divide that lies beneath the surface of our investments, we will be limited in our effect.

We must continue to bolster the organizations working on the frontlines of our community that provide true ladders out of poverty. We must engage with the public sector to dismantle the policies and practices that feed racism and injustice. And we must keep working to identify our privilege and how it affects ourselves and others. Above all, everyone must take action not just in response to what’s in our social media feeds, but to the hatred and indifference that has taken root in communities across this country.

I am heartened by the fact that we are grappling with these issues more openly. I know that as a white man, my struggle to figure out my role in changing things is far different and worlds apart from the pain of an African-American family who is grieving their loss or fearing for their safety. But, we have to keep talking about it — both our differences and how we overcome them.

If I’ve learned anything in our work to fight poverty, it’s that this work is challenging and it’s messy. The issues are so complex and so big, they are easy to shy away or disengage from. Which is precisely why we have to keep listening, talking and pushing.

The responsibility to fulfill our country’s promise of equality and justice belongs to all of us.

This article was originally published in the San Francisco Business Times.