Pushing and Pulling

To Redeem the Soul of America

I remember Bloody Sunday not because I was there but because of the political climate that existed in the country for black people, for me as a little black girl growing up in the Jim Crow South. My ancestral roots are in Alabama. Today as the annual commemoration of this extraordinary act of civil disobedience is remembered and celebrated, tears come to my eyes. I was a little girl starting school when it occurred.

That childhood experience is also marked by history. I was one of the Ruby Bridges in a small Tennessee town, one of three to be first to integrate the school in my hometown. There were no cameras, no newspaper articles but I have my memories. I did not have a black classmate until I was in the third. Desegregation was mandated by law “Board v Brown” but southern states in typical fashion would drag that integration process out and it wasn’t fully integrated until I was in high school.

Today the political climate is rife with echoes of my past. I am appalled and disgusted to see the active measures to take us back to a time that my ancestors and heroes already fought for, lost their life over to win more civil rights for black people -–i.e. The Right to Vote. This tyrannical regime has set their sights on all the rights gained since reconstruction including birthright citizenship. They’re purging official government sites of the historical contributions made by women and minorities as I write this article. We must never forget those contributions.

Today I took a few minutes to pass a little of this history on to my granddaughter. Tears came to my eyes as we watched a few short videos together. I was not expecting them, but I could not stop them, and I didn’t hide them from her. I listened to the words of a speech by the late great Representative John Lewis from the 50^th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.” We watched a video from Former President Obama and Former First Lady Michelle Obama retelling the experience of that day and reminding us of its lasting significance.

We saw the new Presidential Library of President Obama and the breathtaking architecture with the powerful words “We the People,” “We Shall Overcome,” “Yes, We Can,” etched into the design and structure itself. Note to self, a must see. I will mediate on this and that metaphor of the “March” of new bridges to cross! As President Obama said, each generation has to walk “that” mile. Representative John Lewis reminded us, “…there is still work left to be done. Get out there and push and pull to redeem the Soul of America.”

I continue pushing and pulling in the ways that I can. Every week I host a “Good Trouble Chat” to help increase civic engagement. As President Obama said, “There is Power in our Vote and power in getting engaged.” At the end of our 2-3 hour community chat I always read this inspiring quote from the late John Lewis.

There’s still work to do— all hands on deck. Join in our Weekly Good Trouble Chat held on Spoutible, every Monday at 12p CST /1p EST. Get informed and engaged!