“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social
It was the scrolling alert on the TV screen and smart phone. Lebron James crossed the 40,000 points scoring mark. It’s a first for a pro basketball athlete. But even before that hit the wire, there was the NFL scouting combine with a new record in the 40-yard dash. While the NFL season is in its downtime, the next crop of players gear-up for primetime.
But that’s often easier said than done when it comes to the issues of our time. From Supreme Court rulings to surges in border crossings to shrinkflation pricing, it sometimes feels like too much to handle. That’s why SAIC’s efforts involve helping us with brainstorming for America. Our Civics & Community forum series is focused on making our voices heard from the block to the Capitol.
Take for example how there’s a growing effort to deny DEI as a biz/social value program. There’re those who want to play the ‘reverse race card’ to suggest that they’re being disadvantaged. Then, when you add-in the furor around immigration issues, you realize it’s all connected to the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 (INA). During the civil rights movement, much of the focus was around equality. This period saw some major legislation passed to solidify those efforts.
The INA included provisions for boosting immigration from predominantly non-white regions. So, countries in the Caribbean and Africa received an increase in numbers of immigration slots. This shift was an example of valuing diversity in public policy. Now, imagine if that chance wasn’t possible. There wouldn’t be an SAIC that came out of a deep dive in American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. There wouldn’t be an SAIC that invites folks to “JAM With Us” in community empowerment. That would have been my loss, and maybe even America’s loss too?
With the 250th anniversary of America’s independence in a couple years, we have the chance to explore local resolutions and state/federal legislation that writes the next chapter of America’s story. Plus, as the presidential campaign season ramps-up, folks are looking to be informed and involved. There are moments when it feels overwhelming from poll results and media reports. While not always top-of-mind for some millennials and Gen Zers, the issues are a way for us to come together and inspire the next generation of Super Citizens around:
1. Democracy – New Light
The American experiment of a democratic constitutional republic came out of the Enlightenment period. Folks were tired of being tied to a King or tied down by colonial strings. Democracy was ‘new light’ in public affairs and civic engagement. SAIC brings a social-edge campaign/platform that sheds new light on the hot button issues of our time. In a sense, it’s like knowing the difference between a bird feeder and a scarecrow. One attracts birds with food, the other scares birds from destroying food. SAIC helps us see the issues in a similar way. Some folks wanna destroy our ideals, others wanna feed those ideals.
2. Diversity – New Lane
Imagine road construction, with one lane closed on a three-lane highway. Traffic continues (but slowed) in the remaining lanes, with merging cars from the closed lane. If cars in the open lanes never allowed cars in the closed lane to merge, then that would cause a jam-up. Sometimes they’ll open a lane on the shoulder as an alternate path. Similarly, what DEI allows is for channels of opportunity to be open for those who’ve historically been ‘closed-out’ or might continue to be overlooked. It’s an alternate way to have representation. Then, everybody can merge or ramp-up with the traffic flow of the American Dream.
3. Synergy/Unity – New Leap
Most folks know about the courage of Rosa Parks in not giving up her seat on the bus. We also learned about Claudette Colvin who nine months before had a similar experience of being asked to give up her seat and was arrested. But most don’t know that Dr. King had a similar moment when riding home on a bus at age 14. He was returning from an oratory contest in Dublin Georgia. At first, he thought not to give up his seat when asked by the bus driver. But his teacher/chaperone advised him to do so for their safety. So King had a synergy/unity connection with Parks which led to a new leap in the civil rights movement.
4. #CitizenStrong – New Life
With a spring feeling in the air, it’s time for seeing new life. Trees get to bud new leaves and yards sprout new grass. The Easter season also represents new life in faith and form. What would it mean to have a sense for new life with civic/social issues? It means being aware of those who’re bent on “branding ignorance and marketing distraction”. That’s what the immigration debate has come down to. Working on being #CitizenStrong gives us a chance to not fall prey to the scarecrow. That’s why we’re about advocating roots & culture, not being ignorant in civics and demographics.
So, if you’re feeling a level of burnout from the campaign season or election updates or other hometown disappointment around the issues, maybe March Madness will be an outlet. But in the meantime, to go from lows to highs, step-back to comeback, downtime to primetime means finding new light, new lane, new leap and new life in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes it might seem as if an attack on diversity feels like folks see you as a threat instead of an asset. But as iron sharpens iron, so does civics sharpen civic engagement to help us stand-up and even step-up. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Chime-in on impacting Democracy & Public Good, Education & Community or Entrepreneurship & American Dream, ‘Civic Mondays’ events or Civics & Community forums. Plus, you can “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life. Checkout the Signup Center below.
Tracks: Stephen Marley ft Buju Banton – Solution – https://youtu.be/nf_v6CORMNs?si=rVWWcOTGYPTYE7Dm
Jasmin Sullivan – Stand Up – https://youtu.be/X-6g7My_j14?si=KWkjmhK_fUDJpLXe
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