“The revolution will not be televised!” I don’t know where I was when that statement first hit my ears, but throughout my life I’ve heard it expressed in many different forums. It’s a sound bite from a period in history when black people in America sought to take their freedom through the provocative establishment of organizations like the notorious Black Panther Party for Self Defense (est. 1966) and similar pronouncements of independence/resistance. They were unapologetic and willing to take their place in society—by any means necessary. When I hear, “The revolution will not be televised,” I feel a slight jolt in my spirit as images of afros and raised fists appear on the movie screen of my mind. Relics of courage and truth like Malcolm X, Angela Davis, Nikki Giovanni and the like are not too far behind. The words represent a time when the right among us were united about demanding our God given rights as human beings. The Declaration of Independence captures it most eloquently,
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness...”
I grew up in a home where Black love and pride were central to our upbringing. I suppose my mother can be considered militant. She pushed us to think critically about any information related to the history and identity of black people in America. As children of the African diaspora, she made sure we knew and understood the beauty within ourselves. She taught us to love ourselves as black people despite the efforts of those who would have us believe we were born slaves and constantly seeking to hide the treasures of Africa by limiting our history lessons to one perspective and flooding us with images of naked starving children. Meanwhile gold, diamonds, and the natural riches of the continent are being siphoned to this day. She made sure that we were constantly immersed and equipped with knowledge and experiences to challenge any denial of the greatness we originate from. She wanted us to be self-aware and confident as black children in a country that remains confused about whether or not all lives “matter”.
In the past two weeks, I have continuously ran into messages that brought me back to those words, and it hit me for the first time that the revolution is now. The revolution is not a single event or a moment in time. It is a movement that is complex and ongoing. We don’t all have to meet to march, riot, protest, or burn anything down. The revolution is multi-faceted and complex. It has evolved and will forever live as long as groups of people are marginalized and systems of oppression continue to thrive. As enlightened people, those who intend to share life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness with all humans, we are to bring the movement to whatever field and body of work we are engaged in. Despite our occupational position/assignment, we can bring truth, light, and power to the causes and needs of our people.
HOW?
The beautiful thing about the epiphany I had and am sharing with you is that it is about arriving at a higher level of consciousness/intention. It doesn’t require new activity because it is already happening and so many are engaged. Revolution is simply a lens through which I have become all the more resolved and reinforced. Take Beyonce’s recent work, Homecoming, on Netflix. Unarguably, Beyonce is creating a space to love and celebrate blackness. Her fidelity to black history, love, and family is being seen and heard over and over again with every viewing. In this case, the revolution is actually being televised (lol) but it’s in a veil from one of the greatest pop stars of all time. Moreover, she has created a platform and shines light by giving other black people space on her stage, affording economic and cultural empowerment.
There are many other examples as well. Barack Obama’s election as president and his excellence in office is revolution. Oprah Winfrey and the world of things she does to empower and lift black people is revolution. As as a school/district leader in Chicago, I’ve had the good fortune to engage with so many men and women in business, medicine, etc. who are intentionally exploiting opportunities to pay their access and success forward. Their very presence in the marketplace demands respect for who we are, where we come from, and demonstrates how vital our presence is in this country. Black people have and always will be a lynchpin in the destiny of America. You can’t write this story without us, and it’s up to us to continuously give voice to this fact and to lift one another as we climb.
So what for the inequities and challenges we face in our country today? What for the murders on the streets of Chicago? What for the abuse and excessive force resulting in the skewed killings and jailing of black men? What for the persisting achievement gaps in academia? The list goes on. At times, these things cause us deep pain and defeat, but revolution is facing them head on! We are not new to standing up to the ferocious odds and injustices against us. It was John H. Johnson who said, “Survival is in my blood. It's in my nerves and muscles. For I am a descendant of people who were so tough that nothing...could destroy them."
Whatever you do and wherever you do it, your efforts matter. There are three things I believe we can all be intentional about doing in this movement (at a minimum).
We can intentionally be exceptional as a symbol of black excellence in whatever we do.
We can love ourselves, each other and raise our children/family in love and appreciation for who they are and where they come from. They need to know and love their blackness and understand their role and responsibility in this movement.
Pay it forward. Help, shape, and lift others.
The scope/extent can grow or shrink based on who you are and your vantage point in society. Obviously, I am not going to be doing a concert on Netflix anytime soon like Bey, but I can model and demand excellence in service to the community I work in. As a black woman who owns and tells her story, my presence and accomplishments minister to those like me. Earlier in my career when I served in a predominately white school district, I learned that my presence was just as critical to those who are not like me in dismissing stereotypes and exposing others to positive examples of blackness. If you are a teacher serving black children, you can teach in a manner that reinforces your students about who they are and what their learning means to the integrity of black history. You too have a voice and a story, and wherever you are in the world is your platform.
I don’t think my beliefs and feelings are unique or profound, but as I reflected, I decided I should capture them just in case someone needed to be anchored or reminded.
Keeping it real, true, and free,
Garland Darling