”Ain't gonna let nobody turn me ‘round, Turn me round, turn me ‘round. Ain't gonna let nobody, turn me ‘round. I'm gonna keep on a-walkin';, keep on a-talkin', Walkin' into freedom land.“
“Now the war is not over, victory isn't won. And we'll fight on to the finish, then when it's all done. We'll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory) Oh (glory, glory) We'll cry glory, oh glory (glory, glory) Oh (glory, glory)”
No one can deny America has made progress but with all the strides made it must be acknowledged we still have a ways to go. To continue to move forward we must continue to protect civil liberties, AND heal from the violations of those liberties. Healing is both for the victims and the offenders. Healing from racism is a completely different process from fighting against racism. In the former you listen to one another.
PathLight Legal Corporation recently had the opportunity to attend a presentation at The Center For Racial Healing located in Houston, Texas. The center is a space to allow all of us to heal from racism. The presentation we attended was on Youth Activism, featuring author of Growing Up In Galveston Kelton D. Sams. It was an eclectic mix of races, genders, generations, and nationalities. Everyone sharing their experiences essentially for validation that their feelings matter.
On the surface, this may seem simple but it is not. Our natural tendency is to question or inquire about others feelings instead of just listening. I watched the Executive Director sit back in silent attention as members of the circle shared. Immediately, I could tell that she, Cherry Steinwender had served as a depository of many people‘s most difficult emotions because her temperament is a steady empathy with a dose of lighthearted humor. This two hour event changed the way I look at racial healing in America.
What I realized is that if I want people to understand my feelings I have to be willing to hear, not necessarily agree to, other peoples feelings but acknowledge that they exist.
The truth is…we all need to tap into our inner Snoop & Martha and get down to the business of moving this thing called equality along without delay.
Check out The Center for Racial Healing at https://www.centerhealingracism.org/ so we can get moving.