As I reflect on this year,
I've realized it went by extremely fast! There were some amazing highs and utterly
exhausting lows. Because 2013 was such a tough year for the black
community with unbelievable headlines about heartbreaking events like Trayvon
Martin’s killer being acquitted and the mysterious
death of Kendrick Johnson, I dedicated 2014 to my community.
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| Trayvon Martin |
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| Kendrick Johnson |
I have refrained from discussing Ferguson or the Eric Garner verdict because I agree- burn it down, shut down Grand Central and the Westside Highway. My emotional, visceral response is one of anger and embarrassment. At 26, two degrees later, I understand what James Baldwin meant when he said, “to be a Negro in this country, and to be relatively conscious, is to be in a rage almost all the time." I have three nephews, a brother, and boyfriend at home that I could easily lose like the families of Michael Brown and Eric Garner lost their loved ones. To think, to even slightly imagine that I could lose them, and their killer walks, makes me sick.
In 2014, I spent a lot of time in prayer. I prayed for the families of victims of gun violence, especially the mothers that lost their children. The state of black women in America has been characterized by the stories of Janay Rice, #iamjada, Stephanie Moseley, and grieving mothers.
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| Janay Rice |
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| #iamjada |
There's so much to unpack with all these moments - spousal abuse, sexual assault, cyberbullying, suicide, etc. Each of these women experienced something terrible and had their stories broadcasted. These stories about black women are quite different than the stories about black men in the media this year. As a critical race scholar, I argue that one resounding theme of these 2014 headlines is #blacklivesmatter. Our voices, our lives, our bodies, our privacy – it all matters and should be respected at all times. I'm tired of the contention, apathy and ignorance towards that fact.
As I prepare to start
2015, it is hard to be optimistic. It’s hard to believe that real change
involving community-police relations will happen when representatives from the
NYPD blame the mayor and describe their relationship with the community as “in
wartime.” It’s hard to believe that real change involving women and our
bodies when Jada, after months of living through this horrific experience, still
gets little support from her own community. It’s hard to be optimistic when
media and society are constantly telling me that my life and community is not
worth as much as others.
It’s hard to be
optimistic, but it is easy to be motivated, passionate, angry, and most
importantly, faithful. 2014 was a rough year, but we made it and gained wisdom
and understanding. I’m going into 2015 with a new found awareness of what it is
to be black in America and leveraging my power to help my community.
The deaths
and tragedies in the black community in 2014 started a dialogue that will
facilitate change; and I want to be a visionary leading that charge. Thousands
of people continue to congregate nationwide, in protest about police brutality.
Thousands of people joined the #iamjada campaign via twitter and social media;
and eventually the alleged perpetrators were apprehended.
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| Millions March Los Angeles |
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| Harvard Medical students "die-in" |
We are at the precipice
of the next great social movement, and now is the time to decide what your role
will be in the movement. In 2014, I started my nonprofit to mitigate the
cyclical social issues that millennial women of color endure. In 2015, I will
continue to do great work with my organization. I will also make a conscious
effort to use my organizational reach to spread love and positivity to our
community.
What will you do in 2015
that will positively impact your community? Take a moment and fill in the
blanks below, save it somewhere and make the conscious commitment to do it.
“In 2015, I
will________________________________ to help the _____________ community.”
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xoxo,
Courtney
Founder/CEO
