Day 82 Navigate

Focus on the goals to navigate to a better world.

---

Why do we need goals?

The Event that should not have happened: The Death of George Floyd demonstrates the need for police reform, which had begun in prior years through President Obama’s Task Force Recommendations to prevent police shootings and police brutality. [Readings link to Equal Justice Initiative].

Protests have sprouted around the world, and YES magazine points to some critical ways that diverse groups of people supported the protests for change in policing policies: Seven Ways Protestors Showed Up for Black Lives.

Protests bring awareness. My Brothers Keeper on June 3 sponsored a symposium of speakers for what that awareness now means: policy change.

Yesterday, I wrote about sowing seeds gathered from the people, in this case Black people, who lead us to what will help change the system of discrimination that has followed them for generations.

This is the voice they share: support us in policy change.

In our neighborhoods, towns, cities, communities, we must ask, are the policies in our area promoting racism?  How can we create policies that are antiracist?

What are the current goals to prevent more killings?

Every area is different– but searching for improvement and change is imperative for every one. Here are two suggestions:

Campaign Zero

8 Can’t Wait

These are the suggestions of many in the Black Lives Matter movement. These are the voices I’m hearing from the Black community members from around the country.

Your Goals

The voice of the people leading us also say– do what you can. Support by learning more, by sharing, by talking with others who do not yet understand, by reading and discussion, by speaking up whenever you hear the heartbeat of racism rising.  Calm it down, change the beat to one in sync for success of all Americans.

Places to Start:

• National Museum of African American History and Culture: Talking About Race
• Unlocking Us: Brené Brown with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist
• National Writing Project: Resources for Justice and Peace
• President Obama: Anguish and Action; My Brothers Keeper
• Ted Talk: Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff– How we can make racism a solvable problem — and improve policing
• Teaching Tolerance: How to Speak Up [at school]
• Oregon Center for Educational Equity: Responses to racist comments 
• ASCD: How to Be an Antiracist Educator

My Goal

I’m currently reading Ibram X Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist with a group of people discussing online.

I’m creating art to encourage the conversation.

I’ve added many people to my Twitter feed who are leading the way forward. Some people to follow, who chime in often or not– but who understand the issues:

• Phillipe Cunningham @CunninghamMPLS
• Brittany Packnett Cunningham
• Jade E Davis
• shea martin
• Bakari Sellers
• Joe Truss
• Rachel Cargle
• Austin Channing Brown
• Dr Laura M Jimenez
• Clint Smith
• Refranz Davis
• Dr Kim Parker
• Sherri Spelic
• Shana V White
• Cherise McBride
• Dr Sami Schalk
• Lauren Wethers
• Val Brown

I’m watching the local contributions to support the movement to policy changes.

And this is my main why: my freedom is directly linked to their freedom. If one is not free, none of us are. Freedom means free to walk down the street to the store without fear, and freedom carries a responsibility to speak up if some of us do not feel that freedom.

How about you?