Day 4: A New Generation: The Teenage Social Justice Warriors

 I am good at talking myself out of work.

Anybody else have this problem?

I am good at listening to a client, realizing that I know someone else who would do a better job or be a better fit, giving the client the other artist's name and number, and hanging up the phone.

I'm looking at you, Linda Gorham.

I am good at listening to a client, realizing they need something different, and sending them off in a direction that is not as profitable for me.

This is one of the reasons The David talks to clients and not me. He has way more faith and confidence in my being the right person for the job than I do!

Even so, there are times when he gets a call that requires me to speak directly to someone who wants to book an event.

This happened a few weeks ago.

The David handed me the phone and there was a bubbly woman on the other end who worked at a high school. 

Somebody at her school had seen Chairs In The Trees, and was certain that it would be perfect for their school. I assured her it would.

Then she proceeded to tell me it was their Black History assembly, and after the set she wanted me to lead the students in a discussion of social justice today.

I stopped her right there, suggested she get someone from their local community like an Alderman or something to speak to them. 

She stopped me and said the kids were already planning to interview African American leaders from the community to find out what they thought about social justice. They were going to play the clips during the assembly.

I told her about an event I'd gone to in the past where High School students had created a "Colored Museum". They'd filled a space with the history of African Americans who'd contributed everything from inventions, scientific breakthroughs, and social justice movements to our culture.

She thought that was a great idea.

I then pointed out that Chairs In The Trees was an hour-long program. We couldn't do the entire show.

She was disappointed.  We kept talking

By the time we were done, I'd agreed to tell a fifteen-minute story at some point during the event. I'd also managed to structure it and suggest how she could incorporate the various elements the kids brought to the table so they'd have a cohesive program. She was pleased.

I gave the phone back to The David.

I'd talked her out of a show doing an hour. I was going to be a moment instead of the main event. I was pretty sure it was the right thing to do.

On Friday, February 12th, I attended the show.

I have never been so glad to have talked myself out of work in my life.

The event was amazing.

It started with the student body president - a stunning African American young woman - telling her classmates that she wanted them to listen with an open mind and consider the stories and ideas they were going to be hearing.

Her counterpart - another stunning African American young woman - explained that all of us are programmed to believe things that might not be true. She said that this isn't usually malicious, but a product of where people were raised, having an adverse encounter with someone, or cultural misunderstandings.

The only way to break through institutionalized racism and misunderstandings is to listen to people

source

Then, they released the Kraken.

The students merged personal narrative, poetry, their thoughts about social justice, equality, and equity into an amazing presentation that sent me into tears, made me cheer, and had me howling like a crazy lady with pride. 

What did they cover?

Natural Hair -

I met black girls who - by the age of sixteen - had come to love their natural hair. These young ladies told stories about being teased, or not seeing enough images of little girls like them with natural hair wanting to change themselves to look like what they thought "beauty" or "normal" was supposed to be. They ended up putting harsh chemicals in their hair because they wanted it to be "straight". 

They spoke of how the societal norms of what constitutes beauty made them unhappy with their bodies, skin, and hair.

They ended by explaining that with the positivity of friends, family, and teachers, they'd come to see that their natural hair was beautiful.

My daughter rocking her natural hair! 

They had fabulous hair!

Then, I learned about The Crown Act. It is a piece of legislation that is being sponsored by Dove soap to counter the discrimination that black women experience because of their natural hair!  The research on this was shocking to me. 

I had never encountered this because I don't work in an office.

The next topic had to do with body shapes.

Have you heard the term "thick" girls?

It is a term that I have heard to describe girls who are large and curvy. I was going to link to some articles or something, but most of the images are about women who have traditionally not been thought of as beautiful because of their large sizes posing in very...sexy poses. 

There is a reclamation of body positivity from these grown women. I am all for that. When a girl is young, it causes a completely different problem.

One of the young women used it yesterday. She called herself a thick girl.

This soft-spoken, dark-skinned Sophomore spoke of how when they were in elementary school they wore uniforms. She was always larger than most of her peers, and it was always hard to get the sizes she needed. When she got to middle school, she could wear what she liked, but she was often sent home because her clothes were inappropriate or she was given a sweatshirt so she could "cover up".

She has shapely legs and curves everywhere and has had since she was pretty young.

It was only later she understood that leggings on a skinny girl were okay, but if she wore them, she was acting too "grown" or it was "distracting". She spoke about the sexualization of young black girls.

She didn't understand what was happening when she was younger. She didn't understand why people kept telling her she was trying to be too "grown".

She shook her head. "I am the quietest person. I like to sit in my room and read, I'm always up under my momma, I like to talk to my friends and goof off. I'm a great student. I wouldn't stay out late, I don't drink, or do drugs, or even use foul language. I don't even have a boyfriend, I've never been kissed, but I'm "grown".

She ended her segment with, "I am not the problem here!"

Then - 

Well, then something happened that had me in tears for a bit.

This sixteen-year-old gentleman played a video of a poem he'd written. I'm not going to try to explain it.

Just watch:

I cried, I was angry, I was impressed, I was proud, and I was hopeful

I immediately asked if I could share the video and he said yes.

I switched my view to gallery and watched all of these young people from every possible type of family in America watching this assembly.

They were as enraptured by what they were seeing as I was. They sent out that silent applause emojis, commented in the chat, and let their voices be heard.

Then, suddenly, it was my turn. I did a quick variant of The Men of Kent Street, and went back to watching the kids work it!

This Graphic Made an Appearance

Their staff advisors also go into the mix. They asked the kids questions about social justice issues and then had them respond in the chat at once like a waterfall. 

Everyone would type something and then wait. Then, the advisor would say, Niagra - which has to do with something I'd never heard of before, and will be subject of a blog post in the near future - and we would all push send at once. The replies would cascade into the chat. It was powerful to see these young people

The Niagara Movement

expressing fury, dismay, and sadness for the struggles of their classmates. Struggles that many of them didn't even know were an ongoing thing.

The next student talked about microaggressions and the way language is used to belittle African Americans by suggesting that they can be dismissed, separated from other black people, or categorized as "different" if they are educated. She is a well-spoken black girl who particularly hates being called "articulate". She asks, how many kids do you say that to? What makes me different from my white peers who speak a certain way? 

(Now, to be fair, she was a fabulous speaker and she was very well-spoken! Most kids her age probably don't have that much command of themselves, but her point was well taken!)

It was an hour of pure magic!

I stayed 'til the end and thanked the students for the amazing presentation.

Later, in the kitchen, I was trying to explain what had happened to my husband and son. I broke down in tears. 

2021 has been a very challenging year for me emotionally.

I was on such pins and needles during the last part of 2020, I don't think I sat with any emotions -aside from anger - for months.

Now, in this time, when things are starting to resolve and life might be trying to find itself back to something I recognize as normal, I realize I am deeply sad. 

The sorrow I have been carrying for separated families, children locked in cages, the horrific murder of George Floyd, the BLM protests that rocked the entire world as people marched for justice in cities from almost every place on the globe to the insurrection that could have destroyed our fragile democracy has finally come for me. 

I have been overwhelmed with grief, hopelessness, and despair that we are going to have to litigate my right, the rights of my children, and perhaps my grandchildren to live with equity in America all over again. I have been feeling rather lost. It seems like there is no end to this war where one side is saying  - I'm human! All I ask is that you treat me as such! and the other side saying, "You are asking too much! Be thankful we aren't just shooting you on sight! 

Yesterday? Yesterday I saw the next generation of leaders step up and speak out in a way that didn't happen when I was a kid.

Yesterday? Yesterday I saw a group of young people lead their classmates into a discussion on the difference between equity and equality and why that matters.

Yesterday? Yesterday I wanted to drive to Fayetteville, NC, station myself outside each and every one of these young people's homes, and announce to the world that anyone coming for any of these hopeful sparks had to go through me first.

Day 1: Telling My Ancestor's Story

Day 2: The Historical Lens Was Cracked!

Day 3: I Couldn't Be Prouder - Reframing What It Meant To Be A "Slave"

Day 4: A New Generation: The Teenage Social Justice Warriors