COMMENTARY – ORLANDO SENTINEL – Guest Columnist August 7, 2020 APATHY TOWARD RACIAL JUSTICE IS RACISM Do I have your permission to be provocative? If you keep reading, you implicitly consent. Why are so many white people uncomfortable, worrisome and even scared to discuss racism, racial justice and racial reconciliation? Why is corporate Orlando, which is disproportionately represented by whites, reticent to support racial justice work? These are painfully important questions given that racism was not created by African Americans, nor have we benefited from it. Who has profited from structural racism, intentional inequality, and indifference to inequity? At a time when Black Americans are being disproportionately affected by deadly […]
“Racial Justice Matters” 1500 vehicle procession protest brings downtown Orlando to a standstill in honor of John C. Lewis, George Floyd and the Chicago Freedom Movement of 1965.
The Honorable John C. Lewis famously said, “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” This was his call to action to confront the three evils of racism, poverty and war espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr. Unfortunately, racism is still America’s No. 1 public health crisis. Deadly police violence against African Americans and others sparked the globally recognized Black Lives Matter movement, which has awakened the moral compass of the nation and the world. On July 26, 2020 at 3:00 PM, in celebration of the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis and the 55th Anniversary of the Chicago Freedom Movement (credited in part […]
The United States of America is at a critical juncture. Systemic and structural racism, deadly police violence and violent white extremist vigilantism have created unprecedented levels of racial tension and public distrust in local, state and federal government, particularly law enforcement agencies around the country. This watershed moment demands watershed change that every facet of society—individuals, civil society groups, corporations and governments—must confront to safeguard the human rights of Black Americans.