What We Must Remember
Photo by Alexis Fauvet on Unsplash
"When we are creating a shared history, what we remember is just as revelatory as what we forget." — Ibram X. Kendi
In this moment, we must remember to breathe.
We must remember to pour love into ourselves and into one another. We must remember that we stand on the shoulders of giants. We are the result of generations of activists, healers, artists, changemakers and table shakers. We are the beneficiaries of unceasing and uncompromising faith in a brighter tomorrow.
We must remember these things because this is how we will prevail. And, we will prevail.
None of the freedoms we enjoy today have come without opposition. None of the progress we have made has come without moments of regression. And yet, at every juncture our ancestors rose to the challenge. We are the legacy of their victories and the time has come to do what we have always done, to do what we have always been prepared to do — meet the moment with the courage, strength, brilliance, and love that defines us.
“It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.” — Angela Davis
These are dark days. There is little benefit in obscuring this fact. And yet, the light of our beings shines against this contrast. We reflect to each other the beauty and divinity of our heritage and the abundance of our wisdom. Our community is our prosperity. Our love is our power. Our joy is our revolution.
By coming together, we reclaim our agency and purpose in the face of systemic racism. As a Black collective, we can and will define for ourselves, speak for ourselves, and create for ourselves a liberated present and future.
In these moments of unease and challenge, we find solace and resolve in the reality that our fates are bound together. We stand with our ancestors, paving the path for our descendants. Across time and space, we are in this fight together, understanding that when Black people thrive, all people thrive. The richness of that potential is reason enough for hope.
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. ... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. — Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
There are moments where it is appropriate to grieve, to sit down and recoup, to wail at the state of our country and what could have been. However, it is never the time to throw in the towel or abandon the fight. The journey may be long, difficult, and tiring, but our destination is the freedom of all people.
This freedom is our birthright, and our greatest ally is unshakable truth. Even in the face of hatred and division, truth and love will always prevail.
We will always prevail — together.