“Violence IS an Equity Issue”

Since I started hosting the Vlog, I’ve been saying most of what I would typically write. Yet, I’ve still tried to post something once a month for the sake of consistency. I thought my “tribute” to my late client would be the post for this month but, after participating on a panel today, I received requests for the written version.

I would like to again thank Sylvia Oberle, the “Faith In The City” committee, Knollwood Baptist Church, and my fellow panelists for the opportunity!!! I would also like to thank the viewers (a link will be provided later for those who attempted to view) and commenters for their support.

For the nosey people who may question my availability since I have a full-time job: 1. It was on my lunch break and 2. Mind your business 🙄💁🏾‍♀️. For those who may notice some edits in the written version versus what I said on the Zoom: 1. I did what my Grandmothers and Mother taught us…make sure you’re (it’s) presentable when “company” comes over and 2. Mind your business again 🙄💁🏾‍♀️. Listed below are my answers to the questions presented…🙂

How are you/your organization involved in trying to strengthen the response from community members themselves? How long have you been working on these issues?

I have used social media for a while. We left a charter school in the 4th grade after learning their effects on public school funding and, after witnessing what was happening in the public schools my son attended, I had to use my voice to make others aware of the options to do things outside of school. I was pushed by my village to put my voice on its own platform, so I began writing a blog in December 2019. Then Kellie Easton, the Executive Director of Action4Equity, offered me the opportunity to stretch my level of comfort by being in FRONT of the camera and hosting the Our Kijiji Vlog, where Kijiji means village in Swahili. I’ve been doing that since April 2021. My goal has always been to talk about things that many don’t openly discuss but still experience, i.e. mental health, parenting trials (since there’s no handbook to parenting), racism, equity, etc. Not all have welcomed, wanted or liked my voice, so I continue doing it for those who do.

How do you see the connections between community violence and school violence?

Here’s an oxymoron for you…I was not surprised at what happened on September 1st at Mount Tabor, because what did we expect from those who lack social emotional intelligence, those who live traumatic lives and who were also at home for ~18 months to do? At the same time, I WAS surprised when my son and his friends said they were NOT surprised, based on the history of those involved, of a teen being shot/murdered; their issue was they were shot/murdered at school.

We’ve lost the village mentality where students fear their educators just as they fear their parents…there are a number of reasons why this has happened, but a couple of them are, educators don’t have the resources they need to survive as humans, much less take on the task of helping to raise a classroom full of children. Many of them also lack the emotional intelligence and/or capacity to handle what these children walk through the doors with. Those experiences aren’t part of the college curriculum the educators experienced.

Are you specifically working within a school setting or perhaps with parents?

Due to poor experiences, PTAs aren’t my ministry, so I help the kids/parents my son played football with…those who accept various offers I speak of in the community. The Vlog platform includes viewers, many of whom are parents, and once a month, I try and host my son or my son and his friends, where they’ve mentioned MORE THAN ONCE…while they are teens, they have things to say and should not only be heard, but also listened to. They’ve asked to not be discounted just because their age is that of a minor…and I agree.

How do you see this as an equity issue?

We have to stop making every decision for young people based on what makes US comfortable and, instead, include the young people. As I hear those words, it also applies to the Black community…include us on the decisions you make about us. Ask the disenfranchised what’s needed and be willing to be uncomfortable, and sacrifice a little, to make sure things are equitable.

What needs to happen to support your efforts at a much greater and sustainable levels?

A few things I’ve said a couple times on other platforms that I’ll reiterate here. September 1st was NOT a school shooting, it was a shooting that happened at a school. I’ll also emphasize since we’re hosted by a place of worship…we must continue to do more than pray. Pray AND…

If there was any silver lining in the situation, it’s that it happened at predominantly White school and it woke White, and some oblivious Black, folks up to what’s BEEN going on. It shook some people, and that fear has brought some knee-jerk reactions I’m not particularly fond of, such as increased law enforcement presence. Especially since the students were surveyed, and that’s not what they wanted. It goes back to not discounting children just because they are minors. They’re talking and saying a lot, but are we listening? Diversity (meaning not just hiring/including White women to check the diversity box, but hiring and including people of color who are just as, if not more, educated and experienced), Equity (meaning making sure people start from a place that’s applicable to where they currently are) and Inclusion (making sure people are included in decisions made about them and PAID what they should be paid, and not what you think they should be grateful to earn). DEI ain’t a buzzword for many of us…it’s real life. It can determine whether I’m able to keep up with these student loan payments that will return in May, that I’ve been paying on for years yet have made a minute dent in, but that’s a whole other issue. Lastly…we no longer need White allies…we need White accomplices. We need White people’s money, time, voices and willingness to sacrifice losing Facebook friends, invitations to the bbq and promotions…because we risk it every day!