March for Black Women and Racial Justice

Two separate rallies, the March for Racial Justice and the March for Black Women took place in Washington, D.C. on September 30, 2017. Yes, I am late sharing my thoughts on this subject, but as I see it, it is an issue that is always in the news and can be focused on all the time.

"We're here because there are concerted efforts to deprive minorities of their rights. Under this president, the Justice Department has become a mechanism to make injustice the law of the land - and that's dangerous." Markus Balchetor, a member of Washington's State Board of Education, Ward 8.

I shared this quote as a reminder to all that no matter how far we have come in making changes, the status quo somehow remains the same.

The purpose of the March for Racial Justice was to harness the national unrest and help focus it into a national mobilization. This effort was organized after the acquittal of a Minnesota police officer in the death of Philando Castile. This was the gentlemen whose girlfriend caught the entire footage on her cell phone.

The March for Black Women was organized to bring attention to the incarceration of Black women, sexual violence and murders of Black transgender people. Both protests coincided with the anniversary of the three day massacre in Arkansas where over 100 Black activists were killed after organizing to pursue fairer wages on white owned plantations at the conclusion of Red Summer of 1919.

"In order for things to start changing, you can't just take a knee," said Rev. Stephen Douglass. "You've got to take a global stand." That is a statement that speaks volumes of truth. In order for justice to occur, we all need to stand together in unity. This stand needs to happen all over our world. America is not the only place where women suffer from racial justice. As women, we have all experienced some form of racail injustice. No matter your skin color.

What do these rallies say? Are they helpful, hurtful, motivating, inspiring? I believe anytime people rally together for a purpose or a cause that will move others in a positive direction of change is very valuable. I have seen how one voice in all the noise is never heard, but when that one voice joins with other voices, it speaks volumes and can be heard from the mountaintops.

Since Trump's election, I continually see how things are changing. And often at times, these changes are not for the good of all. Women, gay, lesbians, transgender, poor, etc., are pushed aside, overlooked and degraded. Yes, America is now and has always been controlled by White men, but did they forget that during the times of war women took control and kept things going. People of color helped to build the nations and those of different sexual orientation lent their voices to various causes.

The time for change is now. Find your cause, your mission, your identity and rally together to make a difference!

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Until next time, Be the change you want to see!