The Power of Proximity: What Engaging with Community Can Do
Some homies thought it might be helpful if I shared a little bit about my experiences thus far going to protests/rallies and engaging in the Black Lives Matter movement here in Los Angeles. I've been attending the Wednesday "Jackie Lacey Must Go" protests, as well as others throughout the week/weekend, hearing the stories and voices from the families experiencing pain from police violence. Being in attendance at these events introduces the idea of the Power of Proximity - being close to those who are suffering.
Bryan Stevenson believes we must get proximate to suffering and understand the nuanced experiences of those who suffer from and experience inequality. He says "if you are willing to get closer to people who are suffering, you will find the power to change the world." Bryan founded Equal Justice Initiative. The movie Just Mercy is based on his life fighting on behalf of wrongfully accused death row inmates in Alabama during the 1980s. The critically-acclaimed documentary 13th also features Bryan.
Maybe you feel like I do? A lot of the time this unlearning/learning journey can be really heady. It's been a lot of reading articles, a lot of listening to podcasts, a lot of going into historical archives, and just a lot of brain work. Following the Black Lives Matter LA organizers, going to the events they organize, and trying to be close to where the organizers are has opened a whole new world of understanding the impact of police violence. At every protest/rally, they create a beautifully healing and critically important space by giving family members – the mothers, the fathers, the younger sisters – the stage to share about their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers killed by police. Story after story, you're in the presence of their pain. You're holding space for their suffering. You're bearing witness to their truth; something the city/officials/public has failed to do before the murder of George Floyd erupted us out of our slumber.
Until recently, the chant "No Justice, No Peace!" was an abstract concept, rooted in a more general idea that yes, if we don't correct these unjust systems in our society, then there will be civil unrest. Just a few weeks of seeing the families at the protests/rallies has helped me to realize "No Justice, No Peace!" is a deeply, deeply personal slogan. Imagine one of your family members gets brutalized/killed by the police. Imagine the police/city officials didn't acknowledge it for what it was. No "oh, we made a mistake", "we commit to doing this better" or "let us help you with your funeral costs". Imagine your family member's death getting swept under the rug, to be forgotten and lost in the abyss of injustice. Imagine having to start a GoFundMe because of this unexpected funeral cost? I can't even begin to really fully grasp what that might feel like to lose someone in such a way where there's not only no justice, but even lies & cover ups. It's about the basics. The Black Lives Matter movement, from what I've learned so far getting proximate, is fighting for a new normal.
How might you begin to move yourself closer to those suffering? Maybe it's not looking away from uncomfortable content, maybe it's deeply learning about a specific family's case. Maybe it's attending a local organization's Zoom event, maybe it's having a conversation with that person experiencing homelessness on your corner. Whatever it is, go and access your power!
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