What are your suggested solutions?
Black folks who are politically active are already doing the work. I’m 36, the youngest on the board of our local civic group. Most folks there are old enough to be my parent or even grandparent.
These people are our front line. They're the ones battling the concrete batch plants that are suspiciously popping up in our neighborhoods, causing breathing problems. They're on the city school boards, standing up for Black kids when budget cuts are thrown around. They fight tooth and nail to keep our schools open, even when they're told enrollment is too low.
These folk didn’t stop, even during the pandemic. They were the ones knocking on doors asking parents why their kids weren't back at school, hustling to get chromebooks for Black students, and collecting signatures to keep our neighborhoods from being overrun by skinny condos. They’re the warriors against gentrification.
So, we’re out here. We’re putting in work. But there's something I’ve noticed: the younger generation, our younger Black adults, are MIA in these efforts. They live here, but it’s like they’re not really
here. They don’t seem interested in getting involved in anything that could make our communities better.
They're quick to show up when the local church is handing out free book bags, they're down for a celebration, and come Sunday night, they’re ready to shut down the whole street just to show off their cars and race up and down the street being a nuance for the same seniors fighting to make sure their kids can breathe clean air. It’s like they’re kids in adult bodies, waiting for someone to tell them what to do and where to go.
My suggested solution is for younger Black people to get out of their bubbles and get active in one of the many efforts in their communities.
