On August 9, 2014, the all too familiar rumblings of discontent with injustice began. This time, people from all over the world began to call the name "Michael Brown". On that Saturday this young man was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. The community reported that his body lay in the streets for hours. The officer responsible remained at large.
The social media firestorm has been powerful. The new cry: Hands Up, Don't Shoot.
There has been outrage, protesting, tear gas, rubber bullets, military vehicles, and mounting chaos. There is pain.
In the aftermath of each tragedy as this, I pause. I'm not a bandwagoner. I don't jump to action. Honestly, I'm usually initially unclear of where to even begin. Sometimes my instinct is to retreat from all the noise because my spirit has a tendency to just soak in everyone's agony. My mind will play and replay the suffering story non-stop to the point of overwhelm. From that space, I am helpful to no one.
I have been watching from the sidelines. Silently trying to figure out my move.
Tonight, I watched Iyanla's coverage on the grounds in Ferguson and I got some inspiration for next steps.
Iyanla did an hour and a half special that took us to the very spot where Michael Brown took his last breath. She started in prayer and then asked permission from the community to enter and begin her work of organizing for peace and transformation.
Her first step: be an ear for the people.
She simply asked their stories and listened to their experiences. Some had been there to see to shooting happen. Others were family members, community leaders, youth, and even the leader of the local police department. She listened and then coached each person and group to articulate their request. "What is your ask?", she prompted. This question helped put words to the anger and protests that had erupted over the past few weeks. This created a powerful moment of pause for people to really get clear about what exactly was wanted and needed.
She held a powerful exchange with some young men and asked them to be leaders in organizing the rest of the community to stand down from the violence and disorganized protesting in order to create space so that the the investigation into the shooting could be conducted. They obliged. They were amazed at this new vision of leadership and sense of community. They were passionately charged and focused. It was powerful. It was brilliant. It moved me.
Yesterday, I got a call from someone in my program asking about what organizations or institutions are in place for us as Social Workers and Howard students to come together around issues of human importance. I immediately remembered some advice I heard from former Congressman Ron Dellums and from a Professor who attended a recent meeting held on campus about bringing back the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped. Their advice encouraged us to bring together our intelligence and expertise from around the University and have interdisciplinary meetings where we develop strategies and suggestions for solutions that we could present to government officials, community members, and others as steps that could be taken toward change. I presented this idea to my colleague and am writing it here to help set myself up for action. Today, I acknowledge that I am an able body who can help make this kind of work happen.
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