06/08/2020

When Crisis Provokes the Need for Personal Change

Acknowledge the need to change

"Let’s get to work."

That’s how former President Barack Obama closed his essay in Medium that summarized his thinking on the recent unrest provoked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. One thought, in particular, the former president expressed caught my attention.

“So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.”

Protests of injustice and voting for reform candidates do work. The civil rights movements of the 1950s and '60s effected real change. It may not seem so today when you turn on cable news, but take a step back and look at the faces you see. Not just protesters but mayors, police chiefs, prosecutors and, yes, reporters. They are women and men of color. Their positions of power and influence are a direct result of the protests and politics fostered by their grandparents and parents.

Please select this link to read the complete article from SmartBrief.