Part of a Movement

Grad school taught me, among other key lessons, that you do not have to march in protests to be part of a movement.  Such a relief.  I feel so viscerally against marches.  Years ago, I took my high school interns to meet with the head of the Massachusetts Childrens' Caucus, who said "every day there are tons of people out front of the State House, yelling at the building.  But to really effect change, you have to come inside and talk to your elected officials."  I've tried to take that lesson to heart; I put my Senators and Congresspeople's offices in my phone contacts so that when I want to make my voice heard, I can reach out and make a comment directly.

Today, on the one year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, I am not in Ferguson.  Yet, this is one of the times when a march is warranted.  There is so, so much healing work to be done in Ferguson and around the country, and it is key for us white folks to show up.  To admit we have a lot to learn.  And to recognize that our silence on these injustices make us complicit in them.  I am so, so grateful for each of my friends and those I have not yet met who are standing with the black community in grief, solidarity and shared rage at the system.  But I also believe that there are many ways of being vocal.  Marching is one.  But if you cannot march, write.  Call your elected officials.  Go get to know people from different backgrounds in your community.  Put yourself in a space where you are uncomfortable and try to understand someone who has a different perspective than you do.

Please also join me in 4 1/2 minutes of silence, to remember the 4 1/2 hours that Michael Brown's body lay in the street.  But also, please don't let it stop with today.  If you see someone being pulled over or treated unfairly, video it.  I do believe that these videos WILL ultimately bring more accountability, as infuriated I am with the examples of times when they haven't thus far.

I really do hope that we can find our ways back to the ideals that America was built on - the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people.  We look back at the past movements for women's suffrage, civil rights and cannot fathom how people could not see that people are created equal.  What will we look back on in 50 years and not understand?  Fight for that.  Fight for the land and the people.  There is so much hate in this world.  Stand up for love, and have faith in people.