A Step into History: A reflection of the Million Man March 20th Anniversary
I always wondered what I would have done if I been alive during the Civil Rights Movement…
On October 10th, 2015, I stood on the shoulders of the work of civil rights leader. With about 35 other University of Georgia students, I had travelled hundreds of miles to attend Justice or Else!, the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March. As an aspiring journalist, I paid avid attention to news in America over the previous summer. I was particularly interested in police brutality and hate crimes against African Americans. Considering all of the socio-political issues that had been unfolding over the past few year, Justice or Else! was finally my chance to act on the emotions I was experiencing. Although, a wide majority of the participants were of African descent, attending the event reinforced why I should be passionate about issues outside of my own culture or race.
Culture definitely isn’t one in the same. However, minorities definitely face similar consequences of institutional racism and prejudice within America. I recognized commonalities among different groups of historically mistreated people as I began listening to speakers from across the world at the National Mall, where the event was located. Muslim American, Spanish-speaking, Veteran, and Native American orators expressed their concerns not only for the groups of people they were representing, but for other demographic groups as well.
Interested in capturing footage and images for my National Association of Black Journalists university chapter, I began asking to interview and photograph activists of all creeds and colors. I began learning more about issues I had heard about before but didn’t necessarily think about critically. One Muslim teenager I met expressed how his mother is constantly taunted for wearing a hijab. A Latino transgendered woman touched on how she struggles to be accepted within her community. A white couple discussed how they were teaching their daughter to fight against racism by being an ally. A Native American family sang songs of solidarity and unity. All of these unique narratives reminded me of why I should be culturally competent. If I was not completely conscious about the issues beyond the black community, how could I truly consider myself a journalist or concerned citizen? I planned to address this personal question more when I returned to campus.
Since I was recently hired as the Features editor for InfUSion, a multicultural magazine, I figured I could continue my goal of cultural competence by inspiring my staff to create the most diverse and inclusive articles possible. While brainstorming with my staff, we decided to cover everything from cultural appropriation to transphobia to classism. Although, all of the stories did not make the cut for the print edition, it caused my staff to research topics outside of their own cultures or beliefs. I even learned more about different communities and I’m grateful for that experience.
I also received the opportunity to see various celebrities, politicians, and notable activists. While walking to lunch, I passed by #BlackLivesMatter activists Deray Mckesson and I was standing inches away from one of my favorite rappers, J.Cole.
Attending the anniversary signified the importance of being socially and politically aware, especially as journalist. The event forced me to see outside of my identity and internal biases, an essential trait required for reporting. I always wondered what I would do if I was alive during the Civil Rights movement. Of course, my daydreams of what I may have done will never equate to the actual groundbreaking efforts of leaders, but I think I have an idea of my possible role: I would tell about stories of truth and injustice, giving voices to the mute and illuminating the faces of those forced to linger in the shadows of discrimination.
