Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the killing of Trayvon Martin. His death changed the discussion about black lives in America for countless young leaders across this country. It refocused the efforts of folks who didn’t believe their voices mattered.
And now, countless deaths later, there is no #Justice4Trayvon. We knew the legal remedies were going to be challenging when we began, so the Justice Department’s findings are not surprising.
So now what. Is all hope lost? Today, I prepared to speak to the Congressional Black Caucus about the young leader’s voice post-Ferguson. I was thankful they did not want to hear about the solution papers and legal efforts. They wanted to hear from young leaders to gain perspective.
1. Issues of race and police misconduct are complex and because we are bright-eyed, energetic, and brilliant, we expect to be at the table developing the solutions.
2. Our African-American generational divide must be addressed and mended in order for true change to be realized. Respect runs two ways.
3. Your belief in and support of those coming behind you, will determine the future success of African Americans in the US and people of color around the world. We are not just proving our value to the world, we have the added burden of proving it to you.
I often hear civil rights leaders speak about being in the room with Martin Luther King Jr. or gaining wisdom from the advice of Dorothy Height. They validate their credibility through the notable accomplishments of others. Their numbers dwindle every year.
There are 50 million Gen Xers and 80 million Millennials who have largely been in rooms by themselves in a conversation that begins “this just isn’t right.” There is no 1-800-EqualRights phone number and few civil rights leaders available for the conversation. Still our numbers are growing every day.
Our collective hope lies with us. We are Trayvon. Mike Brown is our classmate. Eric Garner is our uncle. We know our human value is not tied to accomplishment, appearance, or diction. And whether you talk to us, or support us, or pay attention to our social media angst, the revolution begins here.
#WeGotNow #NeverGiveUp #BlackLivesMatter #BlackHistoryMonth