I attended a local event the other evening in my beloved Harlem neighborhood. The topic addressed by a panel was on gentrification locally, but also in the Harlems all over the world, and how Black people can mobilize at this tipping point to become economically empowered. First, there were applause and passionate rhetoric thrown around from all over the room but my main thought kept coming back to, will Black people love ourselves enough to start doing the work that needs to be done? Simple. We often times feel energized by a good speech or moved to think about ways we could start to turn it around, but how many of us take that leap into action. It feels sometimes like we don't have the will and the energy to take action to do what's in our own best interest. We've become complacent and throw up our hands then decide to just look out for ourselves and step over the problems all around us. And yes, I use the inclusive "we" because this includes me too. I think all of us sometimes feel the fatigue and the frustration at the system that has created these conditions, but also for the many brothers and sisters who succumb to the weight we're all under. I know the problems are massive and feel unsurmountable at times. But the hole keeps getting bigger and the calvary isn't coming to save us. Yes, we have a Black president. Sometimes I still find myself in shock at this reality nearly 2 years later and I'm still filled with joy and pride whenever I see pictures of those two beautiful brown girls growing up in the White House. But as much as I believe Brother Barack cares for his people and as powerful as he is, he alone can't turn the tide that plagues us daily. He let's us know with his references to "personal responsibility" that although he's a brother he expects people to be accountable for their lives and choices. Even if you're put off by the lecturing tone it still adds up to, you better do for self.
But what plagues us daily is the lack of healthy love for ourselves and one another. I emphasize "healthy" because there are all kinds of love that aren't good for anybody. You know the saying that "not everything that feels good to you is good for you." That said, I think if we made love our priority we would start to lose so much of the self-defeating behaviors that we struggle with on the daily. Things like not supporting Black-owned businesses because you feel their prices are too high or their customer service is inferior but then spend with people that are rude and charge the same for their products. Love has a way of clarifying what matters and what to let go. Our lack of self-love gets acted out in so many ways it would be hard to list, but you all know my point. Perhaps if their was sufficient love we'd stop wishing, imagining, reminiscing, hoping and dreaming about the day when things will be right. You know how it is when you're in the throes of romantic love and you do whatever it takes to make your beloved happy, safe and at peace. It's my belief that transforming our communities throughout this country could be easier than we think. Now I know it may sound overly romantic and simplistic to some, but love is in fact transformative and just as essential as oxygen. And most of all, love is about action. Yes, there are politics, laws and cultural attitudes that persist and try to prevent us from having strong viable communities that are self-regulated and autonomous. But just as Malcom X asked, "they're doing what they're supposed to be doing, are we doing what we're supposed to be doing?". And what we're supposed to be doing is loving ourselves and each other enough to change just a fraction of the madness.
Love is simple, hard, complicated and most of all it's about work. And I think the most basic, elemental and necessary work will begin once we've decided to love one another again.
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