Protest and Marches only prove one thing….

This past weekend, I watched thousands of people gather in D.C. to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March.  I observed hundreds of people that I follow on social media take part in such a momentous event. I cried.  I cried because I saw thousands of people wanting justice,  peace, and equality,but I did not see people willing to do what it takes to create such an environment.  

I saw several tweets and post about how horrible the lack of coverage was from major news outlets such as CNN, FOX News, and NBC.  There were no interviews, no live feeds, no positive things reported from these outlets. 

I tweeted that this “lack of coverage” should not come as a surprise to anyone.  Major news outlets focus so much on riots and destruction because it is very evident that is the side of us they want the world to see.  They want the world to see how savage they have made us, how blind they have made us,  how unorganized they have made us.

I also suggested instead of being angry about how the media portrays people of color - we establish a news outlet for people of color.  Why not have this news outlet portray some positive things that are going in different communities, schools, and cities?  We have plenty of Mass Communication programs in our HBCUs (Historically Black College/University) that can support it.  

Let’s create a news outlet for us.  Find journalist, meteorologist, and anchors who can report the news just as any other outlet.  

It can’t stop there - Are we upset about America not teaching about slavery and the treatment of the Native Americans? Yes, schools are not accurately depicting the tails of America’s birth. Schools are not evening speaking on Black history Month anymore!

I spent some time working at the YMCA in after-school care. In the month of February I asked each grade what was celebrated that month.  The younger students said Valentines Days and the older students (Middle School-Age) said CIAA (which is a basketball tournament that The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association holds in order to bring some HBCUs together.)

They had no idea that it was Black History month and were not being taught anything outside of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Although knowledge and participation in these are not wrong, there is so much more to be acknowledged.

We have black educators, administrators, policy makers that can come together to create excellent school curriculum's that can propel learning and skill development to new heights.

But we are afraid.

Afraid of how much work has to be put in.  Afraid of how hard it will be. Afraid of failure.

My brothers and sisters, of all different hues, we cannot be afraid to create a better world. Not just for us, but for America!  It can be done but we cannot be afraid.

We can’t be afraid to establish, own, and operate news outlets, television production, schools, hospitals, doctor’s offices, dentist offices, research labs, grocery stores, and corporations! 

We cannot be lazy advocates my friends.

I am crying, I am crying right now as I write these words.  I know the potential that we have, I know we are capable,  but I also know we are lazy and afraid.  Equality was not given to our ancestors, justice was not given to our ancestors,  and peace was not given to our ancestors.
I admire people of color, not just blacks, but all people whose skin has been bronzed by the paintbrush of creation. I admire us because of how powerful we are.
 
The same capacity that we use to destroy, we can use to build.
And we are all blessed with a substantial amount of humanity. 

My goodness we can love - and we can love hard.

This has been proven through the efforts of Desmond Tutu…
Rigoberta Menchú…
Kofi Annan….
Wangari Maathai…
Malala Yousafzai…

And many, many others.  Some of your mothers and fathers display how much love is in their hearts every day.

It will not be easy. Nor will it ever be perfect but the world can be better.  We can do it.  Protest and Marches only prove one thing.  They prove that we can come together. They prove that we are aware.  However, the work begins when the March is over and you have returned home.  You are aware, but are you willing?

You all cannot claim to be “woke”.  

There is a difference between “being woke” and sleep walking.

Ashley Mozingo
“Don’t shoot the messenger.”