True activism is a deliberate decision to make a difference in people's lives...
...daily! I'm sick and tired of the keyboard ninjas who keep bullying individuals who won't take part in their 'clicktivism'. We get it, we are in a pandemic, you're at home and have a lot of free time. But harassing people won't change a thing. Before the internet Mandela, Lumumba, Machel, Che Guevarra, the Black Panthers took it to the ground. They were actively sacrificing their lives for what they believe in. But those were their choices. Whoever shared the same value, joined in.
True activism is a deliberate decision to make a difference in people's lives daily.
This is where the modern-day 'activist' gets it wrong. While hashtags push the conversation, if that disconnects with offline activities it makes no sense and offers no genuine change. Last week was very frustrating with people coming for me and my brand to 'speak up' and hashtag. One individual said that you were proactive with the Black Lives Matter but you won't take part in this. Well, I have been pro-black since day one. And every day I am actively taking part in activities that promote and hopefully affect the lives of black people on and off the continent. I have travelled and lived in countries where my blackness brought fear, low self-esteem, and depression. My brand is black and pro-black. To quote Amanda Seales, "Every black experience is black unless it's anti-black." In other words, our experiences in Africa are just as important as those of our diaspora counterparts, and vice versa. In short, same shit, different streets.
Yes, this country is going through trying times, but this has been the same song for over three decades. How many activists, opposition politicians harassed, apprehended, or met their demise over the years. Where were your hashtags? Haven't we all lived in fear, sometimes praying for change, and most times adapting to the status quo, to keep our families alive. I was so freaking pissed off and am still annoyed the hack by such individuals who are cowards hiding behind keyboards instead of doing something. I am grown enough to admit to my complacency. I've come to a place to do whatever to get by, eventually, a change is gonna come as Sam Cooke sang.
Martin Luther King Jr. shared the "I Have a Dream' in 1963, but only in 2008, did the first president of colour come into the office in the United States. Who knew that South Africa would win the Rugby World Cup under a black captain? And they only gained independence in 1994. It took time, but somebody was doing something. People who shared the same vision came together. Now tell me, when have we as a nation really come together to make an actual change? You know the answer, and we fucked up! And hence, the same narrative, just different casts.
I am a firm believer that you need not jump onto every trending hashtag to make a point. What are you doing daily to making a real difference? If whatever you do contributes to the actual problem, or exacerbates it, then being a keyboard warrior makes you a hypocrite. In short, you are a cyberbully. Yes, cyberbullying is just as oppressive as the status quo. It affects one's mental state and causes depression.
Last week, in three consecutive days, I mourned the loss of my mother, father, and grandfather. I was grieving. Did any of these passionate bullies, ask about my well being, or just went straight for the gut. Why aren't you saying anything? Excuse moi, I'm grieving and depressed. What do you want me to say? This is not a dress code that one has to adhere to. I have added my voice so many times, but you cared so little for it. And yes the status quo affects me very much, as a young entrepreneur who is a single mother. Being a black woman puts me at a high risk of many waves of abuse. Remember #MeToo, #MenAreTrash, #StopXenophobia? As long as I am black, African, living in a foreign country, or worse my own, and I have got a vagina, I'm fucked! Imagine if I added my sexual orientation, to the mix. And in my personal space, I'm an orphan who has no estate. But you know what, for the little that I have I'm actually grateful. I could have had it worse. And if it's something that I feel I don't have the capacity to change, I keep my peace of mind. God knows I don't need hypertension when I can't afford medical care. My mental health matters because so much is going on in my head, personal space before I face the world outside.
Instead of attacking people for their silence, have you bothered to ask, how are they doing? Ask what is their take, and maybe how best do you think we can move the conversation. Are you brave enough to take a stand? If not, what are the alternatives? Do you need emotional, or mental support?
Those who mostly jump onto these keyboard trends come from a place of privilege. Others forget that they are part of the problem, either for what they accept or for what they don't support. The ones actually in the situation, are proactive on the ground or left unseen to the noise online. I didn't believe most of the individuals and brands who jumped onto the #BlackLivesMatter trend. For most, it was for PR, good for the social media optics, and to stop the backlash. Remember when people came for Kendrick Lamar because he wasn't on that hashtag. Y'all, Kendrick's catalog is literally BLM. Plus, he was part of the protest. And people celebrated the likes of Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, and et cetera who have appropriated black culture for sharing the hashtag. BLM started way before 2020, but it's important that the conversation goes on. But remember, there was Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Muhammed Ali, James Baldwin, Nina Simone, Michael Jackson, and many more who in their gifting, broke barriers. They changed the narrative whilst paying an enormous price. Imagine how Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr.'s families felt when they heard the news of these icons' deaths? Michael Jackson lost his reputation for wanting to be an empowered black man. These are a few examples but we can even bring it closer to home. Fela Kuti paid a heavy price as an artist who spoke up. Miriam Makeba went into exile during the apartheid regime. Do I need to dig deeper?
Race issues are a very sensitive subject, so is any injustice, especially oppression within the same race. I understand your frustration, but...
Have we ever asked ourselves what we demand of other people, and would we ourselves have that courage or even energy to support them? Because it's easy to call out others behind the keyboard, in the comfort of your home. Last time that I needed support for my business you looked away. You sold me a product at an extreme price. You hindered the opportunity for me to get that bag. When I lost a loved one, was unemployed, couldn't pay my rent, you weren't there, and now you come for me. Or remember when you defamed me for my poor choices whilst sitting on your high horse of judgment. The above rhetoric is the representation of every individual whose struggle has only been real and they fight this battle in the best way they know-how.
Have you ever thought that instead of thinking of a monumental event, you could make a real impact in small ways?
Running a business that offers equal pay and benefits can change the status quo. Using fair scales despite the economic climate can change the status. Collaborating with individuals and brands that empower communities can change the status quo. Donating pads to underprivileged young women and girls changes the status quo. Creating a safe-house for abused women and children; supporting foreigners by offering help with documentation and jobs; addressing toxic masculinity, are the many small steps to changing the status quo. And if you take the political route, always remember that it's sacrifice... your life, your family, your reputation...for the greater good...or whatever you believe in. Politics has never been a fair game. Yes, Game of Thrones virtual landscape explained that to many of us.
But politics is a gift, a calling, and a passion. We have had both great statesmen and vile tyrants. What they had in common is the willingness to die for what they believe in. Even the bible says, "Many are called, but few are chosen," and according to my interpretation, while many could, few do. And this applies in every area of life. This speaks to even socio-economic issues. Not everyone will be a philanthropist. Not everyone will be a preacher. Not everyone will be a record-breaking champion. Not everyone will be the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T). Not everyone will be an outspoken poet, writer, or musician. Not everyone will be Malcolm X or Angela Davis. Not everyone will be a politician. These are the few chosen who answer the call. If that's not you, stay in your lane.
I am a platform for change and making a difference. I fight through the pen and spoken word. My fight is to change our storytelling as black people, as Africans, and even humanity at large. My fight is to create equality and justice even on a small scale but with actual results. My platform has built many careers. I have never received credit for it, but the work of my hands, my team, and all the collaborators, doors are being broken, ceilings being shuttered. I use my platform to educate and create room for objectivity. We don't have to agree, nor agree to disagree. We need to come to a place of third opinions, grey areas, and even duality. We are here on earth to serve a purpose and hopefully, fulfill it. We can achieve so much through learning from different opinions and then unlearning notions that do not benefit all of humanity.
We don't have to agree, no agree to disagree.
I will support individuals passionate about what they do. People whose values serve a purpose to empower and improve their families, communities, and institutions. When I go online and hashtag, it's work that's being extended. It's shining a light on what's already been happening lest I am a hypocrite. But I first ask, how are you? How can I help you? Let's share ideas on improving the current situation.
And each to his own...
But don't come for me ever again! I'm not complacent about everything.
Share cyberspace in peace, let your left hand never know what the right hand has done, and continue to walk in your purpose.
P.S.: Always write your own love story!
Ciao!
Lady E
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