Our Spring of Reckoning; A Time for Metamorphosis

By most accounts the United States is in the midst of a seismic shift. Amid a global pandemic, cities and communities throughout the nation have been engulfed in unprecedented protests and demands for racial justice, economic reparations and police reform.  What has been described by Jelani Cobb as the ‘American Spring of Reckoning’—a reckoning long in the making—is a response precipitated by centuries of terror and abuse manifested through the deleterious intent and impact of white supremacy in the lives of Black, Brown and Indigenous people. Although catalyzed by the televised assassination of George Floyd, which was witnessed worldwide, this movement was propelled by the painful, long history of police brutality and oppression in Black communities and compounded by the fault lines of injustice and disparity that have systematically wrought the lives of African Americans for over 400 years. However we know that truly reckoning with the racial injustice that is woven into the fabric of this country will require all of us to embody the transformation we want and must realize; it will require all of us to move from the sidelines and our armchairs to manifest true change.

The systems and structures that were constructed to perpetuate racial hierarchy, inequity and pain in the lives of African Americans, Indigenous and Brown people are nothing new. Since Europeans first stepped on this continent occupied by Native Americans movements have attempted to disrupt the systems, policies and structures that were erected to propagate racialized disparities and hierarchy.  Throughout its history men, women and children have given their lives to dismantle the racial caste system that has come to define this country’s landscape. Furthermore, countless well intended individuals, nonprofits and governmental entities have devoted incalculable resources and have launched a myriad of efforts to eradicate the vestiges of racism and the systems that sustain it.

Every attempt, every movement to erase racial, economic and social injustice in this country has been met with a new, mutated version of white supremacist systems and structure; new, re-engineered version of the old intended to perpetuate the continuation of inequities.  The question is whether this time, whether this ‘Spring’, will be different.

Individuals and organizations committed to eradicating the seemingly entrenched issues of income inequality, social inequality and racial disparities are clear that this is the time to move beyond diagnosis to genuine re-imagination and action to achieve sustainable results and change. However, aspiring, anointed and appointed leaders across sectors cannot continue to repeat approaches and investments that consistently disappoint us and have not led to the realization of our shared aspirations. As social gaps widen, leaders interested in driving social progress must re imagine themselves and their efforts.  We must undergo a metamorphosis; we must revolutionize our approaches to achieve the change we desire, deserve and have striven for. If not, our same old ways will lead us to our same old results.

Today’s social challenges require social solutions. Virtuous people of noble intent have aggressively searched for a remedy to rid us of the cancer of racism and repression that permeates all aspects of society.  However, we have failed to topple the structures that undergird racism in this country and have resulted in the enormous inequity that exists today particularly among people of color and in the south. If we shift the culture of social change to engage leaders of all types throughout all of our communities and invite them to guide, create and influence the solutions that impact their very lives, we could move beyond good intentions and achieve real progress. We must embrace a new path to achieve sustainable, long-term change—not one shackled to past hierarchies and ideas but one inspired by dreams characterized by boundless creativity, our shared experiences and collaboration among a diverse chorus of voices.  A path marked by openness, and a willingness to tap the wisdom and will of all community members in our search for answers and to achieve our collective well-being and success.

Our course through this season of reckoning will have to traverse centuries of inequity and must be imbued with an understanding that economic and social inclusion will lead to mutual growth and prosperity;  failure to do so will be personally and corporately detrimental to each and every one of us.  The path to this mutuality must be paved with opportunities to build trust and empathy as well as be informed by data, lived experiences, and authentic, honest understanding of personal and corporate motivations.  Genuine engagement, meaningful insight and shared responsibility for our collective humanity will enable us to permanently destroy and dismantle the structures that have continuously been resurrected to support  racial hierarchy and social and economic disparities.

We must forge an entirely different path. A path that disrupts these oppressive systems will require a metamorphosis; a transformation that cannot be achieved by someone else or assigned to a DEI task force, or embodied in slogans on social media, 60 second commercials professing a deep, abiding commitment to diversity. The change will not simply occur during a one hour, or one day, anti-racism training. We are on the precipice of a seismic change that requires each and every one of us to be bold and courageous; to move beyond our imaginations and dreams and courageously, collectively devise solutions to create the society we want to bequeath to our children’s children—communities free of terror, oppression and racism and truly founded on freedom, justice and equity.

The revolution will not be televised
Will not be televised
Will not be televised
Will not be televised
The revolution will be no re-run, brothers
The revolution will be live