If I asked you to name 5 Black leaders, after Brother Malcolm and Dr. King, who would you list?
I imagine some might name Farrakhan and one or two might mention Sharpton and Jackson. Maybe a few mega-church pastors. They’re not exactly on Martin or Malcolm’s level, but ok, I’m still listening.
As for current leaders. People who are mobilizing young and old, gaining attention for leading national campaigns for or against something– anything– to help Black people in particular. Anyone?
Black Lives Matter and…
Maybe our leader isn’t a single person, but a group or an organization. Ok, I can get with that.
Please tell me which one has a national stage and the attention of our people? Which one does the establishment fear? Which are they compelled to demonize because of that fear?
Sure, Black Lives Matter. Ok, that’s one. I respect and support them, too. Their very pointed response to police brutality has been amazing. I am grateful for their presence.
BLM strongly addresses one issue, though. And we have so many others.
Who else?
I’m looking for rallies, inspiring talks and speeches, organization and mobilization. We need marching orders! We need to be on the same page. Have the same message. Be clear about our demands. Where is that leadership?
A Funny Story
When President Obama left office, I had high hopes he’d step into a leadership role for our people. Heck, even for all people. Connected, empowered, eloquent, capable, popular, respected. Black. I dreamed of watching he and Michelle unite people around common causes. I’d hoped for him to come forward to say and do so many of the things for Black, brown and poor people we know he couldn’t as America’s president.
A year and a half later, I’ve awakened from that dream. Obama ain’t it. My bad.
Let’s keep looking…
Individual Progress
But who? Who are or leaders? Do we even need leaders or should we be looking at ourselves? Yes, for sure that.
But how do we mobilize through that approach? What kind of unified action do we take when we’re all doing our thing within our own spheres of influence? What kind of group progress can we expect from individual and disjointed efforts? Efforts which are good and necessary, but that don’t come close to addressing our collective issues?
And what are our collective issues? Police brutality and a racist criminal justice system, for sure. Poverty, failing schools resulting from that poverty, joblessness causing that poverty. What else? And how do we address the systemic nature of these things? Thanks to colorblind racism, that’s becoming increasingly difficult.
Who Are Our Leaders?
Beneath one of my Instagram posts about Chicago’s missing women and girls, someone asked the very sincere question of where our leaders are and what they’re doing about this devastating crisis. I couldn’t answer because I don’t even know who our leaders are.
Do you?
