RACIALLY RADICAL

WRITER Jenna A. Herche @jennaherche

Being bi-racial has always been difficult for me; I was never black enough or white enough. As I grew older, I found that I had an advantage that most do not have; the opportunity to have insight from the perspective of both races. I was also fortunate to be raised by parents who were friends with other bi-racial families; race was a non-factor until I started school. I had the privilege of attending a private elementary school and Cardinal Spellman high school; the private school was mostly white whereas my high school was extremely diverse. I was active in sports and social clubs and made friends easily. 

Born in 1981, I was not here to witness slavery, Seneca Village being taken back by eminent domain, the burning of “Black Wall Street” or the assassinations of JFK, MLK, RFK and Malcolm X.  I am old enough, however, to remember the Central Park Five, Rodney King and countless murders of African Americans at the hands of law enforcement over the last twenty years. As a native New Yorker, the murders of Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima, Sean Bell and Eric Garner are extremely personal. All too often, we have heard so many stories all with the same beginning, middle and end. A civilian is jogging, sleeping in bed, leaving a strip club or carrying skittles, only to be taken down by deadly force; the cops ultimately are either not charged or are charged but not convicted.

With the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery 2020 started out to be much of the same; then CoVid 19 ravaged the country in mid-March, yet another obstacle for the African American community. Roughly two months later, some states began lifting restrictions and America was on track to reopen, until George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020; accused of using a counterfeit $20.00 bill at the store. The video went viral and pandemonium ensued; stand-offs with law enforcement, riots and looting went on for weeks. The local police station was set on fire. Despite this Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed on June 12, 2020 by law enforcement at a Wendy’s in Atlanta; the restaurant was burned to the ground and the unrest continues to present day.

I thought we had made so much progress once Barack Obama was elected in 2009; a bi-racial President was just what the country needed. A decade later, Donald Trump stands at the helm of a country he cannot relate to; race and socioeconomic status have been of no consequence to him. Instead, the leader of the free world chooses to be more divisive than ever before. There is no empathy, only blame. The protests, coupled with CoVid 19, have exposed how ignorant, irresponsible, racist and sexist the president really is. Fortunately, the Black Lives Matter movement and millennials of all ethnicities were able to come together and send one message: equality.

Equality, after-all, is not based on race or status, but access. Access to good schools, healthy food, health care, education and a safe environment in which to live; unfortunately, this is more challenging for minorities. The family structure has deteriorated from a two-parent household to children being raised by a single parent, straining finances and limiting access to some necessities. Overcrowded schools have compromised education, limiting potential professions and incomes. Obesity, hypertension, diabetes and the like can all be attributed to unhealthy food and poor health care; African Americans and minorities are predisposed to these obstacles and are often far behind their Caucasian counterparts. CoVid 19 has exposed all these disparities for the world to see.

If African Americans and minorities are not viewed as equals to Caucasians, the level of respect dissipates. Once the respect is gone, animosity sets in and hate begins to flourish; one becomes disposable. This mindset is the root of police brutality, a direct extension of racism; bottom line, everyone is not meant to be a police officer. Accountability is paramount; it is imperative to fire, arrest and convict those guilty of lethal force. Pensions should be stripped and used to pay for lawsuits against the department. One way to circumvent this is to ensure that the police officers reflect their constituents and communities.

Community centers and local sports programs have been underfunded; defunding the police department and increasing budgets on programs that directly benefit the community will yield positive results. It’s an opportunity cost but by keeping kids off of the streets and presenting them with an opportunity to co-mingle with a diverse group of people, you kill two birds with one stone; purpose and tolerance. They get help with homework and guidance on real-world issues from mentors who have their best interest at heart; perfect for the child who needs the individual attention. In the same breath, if we raise our children with these goals in mind, the need for such a strong police presence will be diminished.

Education is the key to success, despite how cliché that may sound. Minorities often qualify for grants and scholarships, but do not apply; some are unaware of these programs all together. Higher education is crucial to job placement, salary, retirement benefits, and health insurance. Income determines the amount of money we can spend on food; healthier food is more expensive and harder to come by in poorer communities. Lastly, these communities need to make it a priority to reduce black on black crime and focus on forging relationships with gangs and the like; yet another way to minimize the need for police involvement.

Financial equality is the foundation of improving race relations in this country; it is on us to realize our potential and make changes accordingly. Minorities must realize that racist Caucasians and an unruly president are not going to make it easy. With that said, minorities must remain vigilant and resilient and level the playing field by supporting minority owned businesses; Caucasians will notice the loss of income. The game plan is crucial, execution vital. The protests have proven to get their attention, it is what we do with it next that counts.