VOICES: WITH EYES WIDE-OPEN, MY FIGHT FOR BLACK LIVES IS EVOLVING DAILY BY RANDY WILSON

How are you determining if Black lives matter more now than they did yesterday, last week, or anytime?

Please don’t let it be because of the consistency that you’ve seen with our community protest. Please don’t let it be because of some monuments coming down. We need to remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. This is not being stated with the intention of not acknowledging that efforts are being made, but we need to make sure we understand the difference between “effort” and “change.”  Through consistent effort, we can, and will, continue to create real change. Change is the reflection and exchange of consistent work being done. When some of the negative people become positive then change will be evidenced as a result of a transformation. 

We do not, and have not, lived in a society that has treated all people equally, so, in order for change to occur, the effort has to be consistently maintained and upheld by our government.  Hate crimes should receive strong penalties. It should not be acceptable to display hatred toward another person because of the color of their skin.

How will we determine and believe that policing in America is improving or changed for the positive? 

Our community has taken the initiative to lead and “community police” itself as a result of not believing or feeling that America’s system of policing is policing all people equally, evidenced in gun sales being at an all-time high, and as a result of not seeing justice in countless crimes committed by law officers toward Black people. I don’t believe defunding the police is solely the answer; however, there may be some circumstances and places that it needs to be considered more than others, just like all things, and particularly in small/rural towns that have low crime rates.  “Change” occurs as a result of accountability and commitment.

I encourage all people, and particularly Black people to be reminded that your vote needs to be earned by legislators.  Don’t just give them your vote, they work for you!  Make them earn your vote! For many years Blacks have just given their vote away in majority to a “party” because of what they portrayed they were going to do. Many of our Black Ancestors fault for us as Black people to have the opportunity to vote, but I also believe as Black people we’ve evolved. Just because we have the right to vote, doesn’t mean we have to act in giving that vote to anyone undeserving of our vote.  Oftentimes we are voting for the better of two bad candidates out of desperation. Just because we have the right to vote, it should not be portrayed to us as a privilege anymore.

Of course, we should have the right to vote, and we should have always had the right to vote particularly when you’ve displayed your duty as a citizen to this country, and have not committed any form of crime that would have revoked your right. We are no longer slaves, and we don’t need to operate as if someone is giving us a privilege to vote.  Voting is your choice. As Black people we need to see our vote and voice reflected through legislation for that is true victory. The Black vote is more powerful than just a number or vote. We don’t need to feel like we are letting our ancestors down if we don’t vote, because if we are allowing people to have our vote into office that don’t have our best interest, we are doing more harm than good for our communities and children by modeling the example of just giving our vote away.

History often repeats itself; however, we can’t repeat ourselves in accepting that the work is over, and we have something happening unlike ever before in history with Black and Whites working more cohesively to impact change. I commend every White person who has joined forces with Blacks, and even better when you’ve joined forces with other Whites to become self-educated, aware, and engaged in the experience of what it’s like being Black in America. Obviously White people will never know exactly what it’s like to be Black, but this world will not make the change that’s needed without the contributions of Black, Brown, and White, people doing their part.

We will not become blindfolded to think that change has been made until we have equal representation on behalf of how this country operates with Blacks being in equal numbers at the table with Whites.  America wasn’t built overnight, and it wasn’t built on equality.   Black lives have not ever mattered enough to a significant percentage of the world, and in fact, Black lives have been so insignificant that we have to “refer to this as a fight.”  The fact that we have to use the “term” fight reflects that we are up against an enemy/oppressor, and not recognized respectfully as equals.

We should commend the Richmond community and its persistence in pushing to ensure that Black Lives continue to matter equally with White Lives.  The community at large is fed up with legislators making false promises, and have taken it upon themselves to hold their own rallies, events, meetings, and etc… to ensure that the Black voice is being heard.  These efforts being made will go down in history, and there are some changemakers in our community that will have to be mentioned in the history books.  Hopefully, there will be Black history books soon so that we can tell our Black stories.

Media often identifies Blacks from sports or entertainment to exercise a voice for “Black” people as if we don’t have Black people in other professions that can speak intelligently.  One of the things I respect about The Cheats Movement platform is that it is identifying people from all walks of life to contribute their voice. The media can sometimes pigeon hole or coined where the Black voice comes from, but now more than ever we are controlling our narrative in creating and using our platforms to ensure our voice is being heard. 

We are Black, Bold, Beautiful, and Brilliant, in being true to our authentic selves.  You’ve heard the saying “I’m Black and I’m proud,” but it seems to just ring a little different now. 

There are many White people today who are proudly celebrating Black lives, embracing and becoming educated about Black history, Black trauma, and many of these White people are using their platforms and daily life to work with Blacks in ensuring that others become increasingly better educated. So to all White people who are doing their part, I salute you for contributing to the cause. Let’s be reminded that we need to be careful about how we portray judgment on others.  Some people might feel that you are not doing your part, but at the end of the day you have to do and live your life and what is in your heart and mind to accomplish. 

We’ve been required to make some adjustments. We’ve had to adopt some new “norms.” In an effort for us to get to this new place in our world, we had to experience some new things, and, as result, it created some changes that many people did not see coming. Our community has united, and we are developing a voice that is breaking barriers. We still desire to see more collaboration and communication between all walks of life at this time for the benefit of ensuring that Black lives matter, ensuring that Black History is incorporated into our education system, ensuring that we have equal representation of Black and Brown people in our court system. It is time!!! Actually, it is past time. It’s beautiful to be a part of this new season of “doing” that has come as a result of a pandemic. It’s a reminder that historically Black Lives hasn’t mattered to a significant part of our world, evidenced in the unfair treatment Blacks have received because of the color of their skin.

The police system has been at the forefront of the media, but they are not the only public system that has been unfair to Black people. The education system was not designed to educate all people equally. Blacks have not had the equal opportunities in advancing in their careers in predominantly White companies, Blacks are not equally represented in Fortune 500 companies, or the boards that support them, Black are not evenly represented with Whites in the supreme court, and even in the way we’ve been brainwashed to refer in “what a professional is” has been determined under the supremacy of what White America has determined as appropriate. Blacks have been judged by their skin, hair, and even our communication style.

Why is it in a lot of circumstances that Black neighborhoods don’t have grocery stores? Why is it in a lot of circumstances that Black neighborhoods across the country don’t look consistent with the norm of what a White neighborhood looks like? I am referring to the simplest things such as general safety, adequate services, and resources. Why is it that “some” White people are getting tired of Black and White people putting emphasis on the importance of “Black Lives?” It irritates some people hear you emphasize the word “Black,” but then these individuals want to rob our cultures, listen to our music, and adopt our fashion. Cities across this country have “China Towns,” but you don’t hear people saying “why do they have to emphasize they are Chinese, along with many other cultures. I’m Black and I’m proud.  I only know what it means to be Black, and yes it means a lot!!!

We live in a world that has not equally respected Black culture in how it’s created systems that ultimately have authority over Black Lives.  Regardless if you’re on the front line or the back line, Richmonders are making a difference in our city, and in the world. With the history that Virginia has, this current generation of changemakers, compiled of all ages, genders, sexes, and races have united beautifully.  In looking back at the old “norms,” some of those things were really beginning to get old anyway.  I’m happy that racist are being exposed and revealed.  I’m happy that politicians are being required to earn the “Black” vote, and I’m also happy that it’s beginning to be easier to identify people who don’t align with equality.  Shout out to the internet, for you’re doing an excellent job at bringing these things to the surface, for there are some people that are just waking up and realizing what’s been going on for such a long time.

We probably were not adequately prepared to embrace this season, but it’s here, and we are adjusting.  We will continue to make adjustments, take action, and adjust in our position, in executing the direction for how we go forward each moment and day at a time. I encourage all Black parents to evaluate your child’s education while you are being required to educate them.  This could be a blessing in disguise for how our children evolve going forward. I know my wife and I have had the experience of not only parenting but having to find the ways that best help our child learn.  Remember you are the leaders of your child’s education, and not the school, so embrace this new role you are adopting within the public school system in teaching your children.

In closing, unfortunately, sometimes you have to come out of character to get the attention of those who need to pay attention to your character.  It’s not been our intention to do anything other than improve equality in a society that has neglected to put the effort into places that are needed. We will not just stand, we will stand tall. We will not just speak, we will speak assertively.  Ultimately we will overstand!!

Randy Wilson is the host of the Randy Wilson Podcast. The podcast is available on YouTube and all streaming platforms.