City of Olympia stripped Black History Month Proclamation after cutting off protected speech скачать в хорошем качестве

City of Olympia stripped Black History Month Proclamation after cutting off protected speech

As a father of two Black sons, it is not only my civic duty, but a deep ancestral one, to confront the anti-Black racism that has become far too normalized in this country. As a priest of Obatala and an Egungun devotee, I am obligated to use my voice and its Aṣẹ to speak truth and to show the next generation that dignity and justice are upheld through courage, not compliance. A year ago, during a City Council meeting, I proposed a cultural and language exchange initiative with Oyo, Nigeria for Black youth in Thurston County. A council member responded, “Why would we ever want to partner with a country like that?” When I explained how African languages were stripped during chattel slavery, I was told, “I don’t have time for victim Olympics.” That context matters. The City publicly claims it seeks to remove barriers to Black and marginalized voices in civic life. Those commitments must be honored in practice. As Joy DeGruy explains in her work on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, oppression conditions not only those harmed, but also people to defend the system itself by prioritizing order over truth and comfort over accountability. Black History Month is not about comfort or politeness. It exists to remind us to confront anti-Black racism and to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors who resisted dehumanization. I was invited to speak at the City’s Black History Month proclamation. My remarks were fully compliant with the First Amendment. Even so, my speech was cut off and official recognition was withdrawn from me and another Black man. Please watch the full video and share it. If this does not sit right with you, I encourage you to reach out to the City of Olympia and let them know. #blackhistorymonth #Blackpower #Civilrights #Ancestors #posttraumaticslavesyndrome