A Letter from Namibia—What Can We Do?

Internet access is not free flowing on the continent, especially while traveling. Thus, I’m usually a few hours late on receiving news updates. While these events happened days ago in the U.S., I’m just at a point of accessing good bandwidth to induce healing through writing about them. The news that Brother Alton Sterling and Brother Philando Castille were murdered at the hands of police officers and that Brother Micah Johnson (Yes, Micah Xavier Johnson is still our Brother) killed 5 officers in Dallas was too much heartache at once.

The Diaspora is angry, hurting, tired, and nearly desperate for liberation.. liberation in terms of being treated with DIGNITY, receiving JUSTICE when systematic institutionalized racism is employed for our demise, and being rendered RESPECT for our Black and brown bodies.. for our HUMANITY. We grieve every few months as news comes across the screen that another unarmed person of color has been murdered by a police officer, likely a white police officer. Our grief cuts deeper when we realize that these intentional killings are not new occurrences, the only thing new is our access to technology to broadcast, live stream, or tweet such abhorrent events.

Though, I’m 1 ocean and over 7,000 miles away, I can never disrobe myself of my Powerful Black suit. Honestly, I have never desired to. Thus I’m in Namibia standing in Blackness and in grief. But, I feel displaced in my grief, nearly as if I’m grieving alone. On the African continent understanding of the struggle for Blackness is lacking. It’s multifaceted, but I do know that the media’s portrayal of Black people as criminal, inhumane, violent, and untrustworthy has not only penetrated the skin of generational whiteness but it has also caused fear of US amongst our own African Brothers and Sisters. I’m often asked questions like “Why is it that white and Black people can not get along in the U.S.. white people are always nice to us when they come here to work.. What is racism? I’ve never understood why you people divide yourselves as such”. It is exhausting having to qualify my position to desire justice and freedom for myself and for those made in my likeness in the U.S. and even more exhausting having to do such on the continent of my origin.

So comfort where are you? Comfort can never come until real solutions are rendered, grounded in political reform and accountability. Additionally, when you have 2 current candidates for U.S. presidency in which 1 has refused to attend the civil rights convention of the NAACP (both Democratic and Republican candidates usually attend this convention to  answer question around issues regarding the civil rights of people of color) and the other candidate.. the one with the hot sauce in her purse.. skips dialogue and only panders to Black people when there’s an opportunity for a vote.. with such avoidance the likelihood that you will continue to see more Alton Sterlings, Philando Castilles and even Micah Johnsons is increased.   You will continue seeing an officer selected to protect citizens gun down 12 year old boys, or choke men to death over cigarettes, or murder unarmed black people during traffic stops, or ingrain in its white citizens that black people are so threatening that even when they are seeking help after car accidents, they too must be murdered.

I’m all out of words at this point. I find myself thinking “What did my mother do to stay safe?? She was raised in the 1950s.. what did my father do to protect his black body?? He was raised in the 1940s”. They know all too well what it is like as they both experienced Jim Crow whereas I’m living in the New Jim Crow.

My comfort has come from within US. Instead of waiting for some feel good decision from the powers that be to soothe my pain, I’ve looked within and found comfort within US.. the Black US.   Seeing Our People come together supporting one another across different geographical spaces has been my comfort and it has been EPIC. We are not responsible for our oppression but we are responsible for our liberation (Brother Malcolm). So, I want to send along 2 points of encouragement:

• We need You.. whatever level of work you would like to contribute. Work in a way that when this day reaches your child.. they will be able to enjoy it, freely.
• Wake up and stay woke! Dialogue with other people in the fight to gain or render understanding of your oppression. Reminder, an accurate record of your history is not even taught in school, thus you are your own source of history.

I welcome your thoughts.

“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde