Last night, my sisters and I had a deep text conversation about protests, Black Lives Matter, the state of our country, and how there hasn’t been this type of civil unrest since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. We talked a lot about what meaningful change looks like and the actions that can be taken to invoke that change.
As a writer and a human, I believe strongly in the power of words. I also believe in the power of action. It’s always a question of how can I use my words to create action and change.
I’ve thought a lot about what I can do on a personal level. For me, it’s not about shouting loudly on social media. It’s about how I can make a difference locally, how I can use the power of my words and actions in a meaningful way, that will eventually stem change.
A gentleman in a writing group I belong to shared his story of leaving Southern California to join the Martin Luther King Jr. voting rights movement in 1965. He was 19 and lived with an African American family in a town close to Selma, Alabama where he went door to door to register voters. I was moved by his words that depicted the actions he took locally that eventually made a difference.
My close friend, Ann marie, has been working with imprisoned men in San Diego, helping them write their personal stories. The majority of the incarcerated men are African American. These men have told her and others that she is the first person who wanted to hear their stories, and this was the first time they felt they had something to say. They never felt like they had a voice before. Helping these men articulate their stories is one thing Ann marie does to make a difference and stem the tide.
Perhaps I will do something similar to the work Ann marie does, or it may look completely different. But I firmly believe change comes from yourself first, and then the community you live. And eventually, change grows to beyond a local level. To the state and eventually national. It’s not an overnight process. Systemic change takes a lot of time! But having faith and being true to your words, actions and beliefs is a powerful start. 🖤