Calling All Gods & Goddesses to Rise Up!

Response to Sean Bell Verdict
Written April 28, 2008

Never Enough!

I can’t think straight. All before I had my morning tea, I’ve received phone calls, emails, and text messages full of despair, anger, and fear about the Sean Bell verdict.

Every morning since Friday, my day begins with an overwhelming tension and hopelessness. I’ve tried to listen to motivational music and prepare myself to do what’s expected of me; make breakfast, take my daughter to school, go to work, remind adults and youth about meetings, attend meetings, etc.

I work at Queens Borough Hall through a partnership with the Child Center of NY and the Queens Borough President’s Office running ACT for Youth. ACT for Youth is a community initiative that promotes collaboration between youth, adults, parents, organizations, churches, businesses, etc. I train young people to be leaders, how to advocate and how to work with elected officials to work towards community change. I train adults to communicate better with young people and increase understanding of youth culture and the best practices in youth development. But today it doesn’t seem like enough.

Why am I hosting an event about world hunger, campaigning for summer job funding, and planning events such as steps shows, health fairs, and youth conferences when young men in my neighborhood are dying from violence and all my friends and colleagues are calling me looking for answers?

Today, I started my morning listening to India Arie and just as I was about to get focused and motivated as a result of listening to her song “There’s Hope” my roommate asked me to stop the music so I could hear about what people were saying on the radio and what we really need to do. He spoke of writing letters and a list of demands that we should make about improving our schools and changing the way we select and train police officers. I said “Tell people! You need to tell people!” I needed peace and quiet. I needed to act like it was just another day around way so I could go on and do what’s expected of me. Just go to the office and sit at my desk and do paperwork.

But my voice is my power, so I need to speak! I’ve been afraid to speak out on this issue because I wasn’t surprised by the verdict. There is a history of police brutality and racism in this country. I was disappointed that so many people were shocked because when you’re shocked, hurt, angry, and disappointed then we can’t respond accordingly.

But then again aren’t Black people always angry? Haven’t we always afraid of police officers? Don’t we always feel like we’re under attack? Don’t we always have our guard up?

We are distressed and oppressed, but we’ve survived. We are resilient! Rise Up!

I feel like running in the streets screaming “I’m raising hell for Sean Bell! Stop police brutality! Stop the inequality! This injustice effects us all! United We Stand! Divided We Fall! No More Marching in rainy Weather! ACT Now Write A Letter! ACT Now Write a Song! ACT Now Make a Film! The world must see what’s going on! What’s going on! What’s going on! What’s going on, It’s so Wrong. We can’t go on without a fight. It’s only right if you value life”

I need to calm down and clear my head. May be if I listen to “I Find It Hard to Say (Rebel)” by Lauryn Hill I’ll have some ideas, some solutions. This is a complex issue and I don’t have the answers. Thinking to myself isn’t enough. Writing about this isn’t enough. Talking about this isn’t enough.

We march because we don’t know what else to do. This issue isn’t brand-new but we need a breakthrough.

We need strategic plans & action steps not marches and rallies. We need a think tank. We need strategic alliances.

We need for people to realize that this is not just an issue for Black people but it is a Human Rights issue.

We need youth and adults to unite! We need to protect one another.

We need to use our anger and fear as fuel.

We need to be creative about what we need to do.

And whatever we do, we must continue

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