Fighting for a Better Future (Do Something)

 
Omar-Circle.png
 

By Omar Blayton

During his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pronounced,

“The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.”

Four years later, in a report to Southern Christian Leadership Conference staff, Dr. King stated,

“We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together… you can’t really get rid of one without getting rid of the others…”

Reflecting on these quotes in light of the tragic events this year and countless similar events in prior years, one concept continues to emerge as a connecting thread - the “Policing of Poverty.”  When observing this policy along with the systemic racism that has undermined or outright destroyed vehicles for black economic advancement (e.g. Reconstruction, the Tulsa Race Massacre, effective exclusion of G.I. Bill benefits after WWII, redlining, predatory lending etc.), “policing of poverty” easily translates to “policing of blackness” as the association of blackness with poverty has become inextricable.

Policing poverty gained significant momentum during the last several decades because of policies deregulating markets and increasing economic inequality. At the same time, laws became tougher on crime. The advent of ”broken windows policing” drew greater law enforcement attention towards non-violent economic crimes such as subway fare evasion. These measures eventually developed into more aggressive policies such as ”stop and frisk” and proactive traffic stops. In each case, these enforcement methods led to the disproportionate targeting of people of color who are poor or perceived to be poor, despite no conclusive evidence that such methods led to crime reduction. Given the encouragement of this form of policing, it is little wonder that we see such drastic responses to minimal offenses, if there even was an offense to begin with. You only need to review encounters some of the victims had with police over the last six years to see the horrific trend:

Thinking of these victims and the circumstances surrounding their deaths, Dr. King’s words on the inextricability of racism and economic exploitation immediately come to mind. Thinking of the injustice and inhumanity surrounding these deaths, along with the subsequent outrage and unrest, one cannot forget Dr. King’s words on revolt. This is especially true in the case of George Floyd where Officer Derek Chauvin was able to kneel on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds without intervention from three fellow officers and despite the desperate pleas of bystanders and Mr. Floyd himself that he was being killed. Officer Chauvin continued to kneel for 3 minutes after Mr. Floyd was unresponsive and had no pulse.

The callous way that George Floyd died highlighted the sense of impunity related to policing blackness and the indifference of the justice system when this policing leads to unconscionable results. I believe the protests sparked by this incident bring us to an inflection point where our next decision will allow our country to progress towards a brighter future or further devolve into a failed experiment in freedom. The cancer of racism and economic inequality, metastasizing throughout this society has now fully surfaced and will require immediate and aggressive intervention if we as a nation ever hope to recover.

So, what now? What can we do to tackle a problem so deeply rooted and widespread as this? The answer is relatively simple: DO SOMETHING. With a problem so vast, there is plenty of room to make an incremental difference. Convincing others to do the same obviously magnifies the impact. Waiting, for a broad plan that will “fix” everything however, or simply experiencing heartfelt sorrow for what has occurred, IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, not part of the solution. The victims of these injustices need PROGRESS not PITY, ACTION not ANGST. So, the true question is not, “What should be done?” but, “What I am I willing to do?” If you are at a loss, here are some things that can help:

  1. VOTE for candidates and policies that address these issues head-on. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Help others register to vote and get to the polls or complete absentee ballots.

  2. GIVE to organizations that fight to increase economic and political opportunities for marginalized populations.

  3. INVEST with organizations that provide a strong financial return AND meaningful positive impact within communities most in need.

We at Sunwealth realize that we are still a small company in a niche area. However, our core values incorporate equity and inclusion both internally and externally in the communities we serve as we work to strengthen those communities and contribute to the growth and security of our nation’s energy infrastructure.  We invest in traditionally marginalized communities to provide them with the long-term financial and environmental benefits associated with solar energy, while also creating jobs for their local labor forces. The financial benefits provided these communities come in the form of material savings on electricity bills and have the potential to increase over time. These savings have a significant impact on the quality of life for marginalized individuals by allowing them increased financial resources. Admittedly, what we do is a very small part of the solution, but it is part of the solution. Additionally, as we progress, we continuously look for new opportunities to do more and to do it more effectively. This is all that we ask of you. DO SOMETHING now, do more later, encourage as many others as you can to do the same and we will all find ourselves in a better future.

Jon Abe