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During social drama, what is the most important ingredient in successful planning?
The rarest and most evasive element: understanding.
To help comprehend, my friend and colleague, Lamont Germany, shares the following:
Of Black Men, Police, and Historically Black Colleges
By Lamont Germany
When faced with protest combined with riots and looting, why would an articulate, well-educated Black man say, “I woke up wanting to see the world burn down”? (Michael Render, AKA Killer Mike)
Mike promotes planning, strategizing, organizing, and mobilizing. His message expresses hope for a better future through constructive, non-violent means.
But Mike also sees that change requires shared understanding. Underlying current problems are layers of pain. And when we work with others, we need to help them understand key events.
Consider the friction between Black men and police. My own fear of cops began 18 years ago. I remember the incident vividly:
I sit in my faded orange car a couple stories below my apartment. While the radio plays an Orioles baseball game quietly, my eyeballs scream with pain.
Staring directly into a police flashlight for minutes now, I dare not blink. I wonder, “If I raise my hands to shield my eyes, will I be seen as a threat?” I limit my shaking.
Another officer approaches with one hand on his gun’s holster. I search his face for a sign of anger . . . or fear. I hold my breath. I don’t want my inhaling chest mistaken as a menace.
I’m a big baseball fan. When the power went out in my apartment, I innocently went to my car to listen to the game.
The cop patrolling the neighborhood saw something odd: a Black man sitting alone in a car for an extended time.
I was soon scared for my life. I trembled through the experience of three police cars, a blinding flashlight, and a hand on a gun holster. I didn’t know the state of the officers’ minds.
When the cops saw my ID, they apologized. One recognized me from my weekly news show.
The police commissioner invited me to a community policing initiative shortly after. I went through basic training with cadets, experiencing situations similar to my own, but from a cop’s perspective.
Being an officer is tough. In a dark neighborhood, police may only see a dark face. They don’t know a suspect’s state of mind.
Yet such confrontations are too common. Michelle Obama writes, “I’m exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop. Right now, it’s George, Breonna, and Ahmaud. Before that it was Eric, Sandra, and Michael,” referencing recent killings, several by police. “It just goes on and on and on.”
I’m saddened by those tragedies. Those individuals are powerful symbols.
Yet even more poignant, for me, is the impact across my community.
Many of the Black men I know have stories equivalent to mine, of Driving while Black: some with more run-ins with the law than they should. Others law-abiding their whole lives. Still others notable across the nation, who happen to have black skin. We each have a story.
And what’s the impact? A few months ago, I happened on a knockdown fist fight. Two bare knuckled men were beating on each other.
I should have called the cops. Most police are skilled professionals there to serve. With their help, there would be little chance a front-yard fight would lead to serious injury or escalating violence.
But I didn’t call.
Some officers are bigots and I don’t want to learn the hard way who they are.
I kept walking.
And I stayed angry that my community doesn’t benefit from the safety it should.
Killer Mike says we have to do better than this moment. It’s our responsibility to make things better, right now. I agree.
Thank you.
Lamont Germany is General Manager of Heritage Sports (HSRN.com), the Voice of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) sports.
If you’re a member of the HBCU Community, or just curious, check out HSRN.com. For over 15 years, HSRN has broadcast the most HBCU sports matchups. And HSRN is there to feature discussion critical to the future of the HBCU community, including about safety and neighborhood development.
The HBCU community includes millions of alumni from more than 100 Historically Black schools from Pennsylvania through Texas. In college, HBCU students become increasingly aware of African American history and issues. And HBCU graduates are frequently neighborhood leaders, earning respect by applying their college educations, and many by being first in their families to attend university.
What might you learn if you asked a friend with a different background for a story about their past?
Safeguard your future today. And position yourself to thrive for our children tomorrow.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.