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The Christmas story is about change, at its essence.
The story takes place during the political and economic
disenfranchisement of a race of people by outside occupiers.
Herod, the local ruler, is appointed by the Roman oppressors
to maintain the status quo of privilege for elites and the
subjugation of the powerless. The news of the birth of a
child in the tiny and otherwise insignificant village of
Bethlehem “troubles” Herod and he responds with
state-sponsored violence upon the youth of the
“marginalized, exploited and excluded” population from which
the child emerges.
The fact that the narrative is centered on Jesus, as a
child, is impossible to overlook. Young people have
always been at the center of change.
It was four black college freshmen at North Carolina A&T who
had a sit-in at the whites-only Woolworth lunch counter in
February 1960. Four grew to over 400 participants in less
than a week and the lunch counter was desegregated within
six months. This incident changed the Civil Rights movement
and American history forever.
However, most of us from that generation who are still
around are tired now. We admit we are not for doing marches
anymore. Our feet hurt and our bones ache. We are also
fairly comfortable, living off the fruits provided by “the
struggle.” Besides, our militant spirit and past reliance on
direct action as a fallback strategy have left us
paternalistic and domineering in our relationships, even
among ourselves.
One thing is certain though. The “Movement’s” work is
incomplete.
Piled high atop the gun violence, domestic violence and
deaths OF and BY law enforcement are education-related
problems. We have not been able to improve achievement test
scores, dropout rates and suspensions/expulsions.
Employment statistics for African Americans, especially
African-American youth, are abysmal. Support systems for
African -merican youth are also crumbling and in many cases
nonexistent.
Yet, the gasps from youth needing to be heard on current
matters are often choked out by the aggressiveness of an
older generation, which has a stranglehold on public
discourse concerning the black community.
I
am convinced, however, that like the biblical story of the
birth of Jesus, we must focus on youth if change is to
occur.
This week, a diverse socio-economic group of young people,
through tears and testimonies, gave their perspective in a
value-free environment devoid of judgment and adult
criticism. For once, these black and white high school and
college students, youth activists and young community
leaders talked while the adults listened.
What social justice activities are young people involved in
locally?
A
group in Toledo was represented which focuses specifically
on #BlackLivesMatter and police brutality. The group is
primarily made up of college students from the University of
Toledo, Bowling Green State University and Lourdes
University and has been meeting weekly since the police
shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Their purpose has
been to bring awareness to the critical issues that impact
the black community rather than blocking traffic or
organizing die-ins to disrupt public activity.
Each Saturday, the group shows up for an hour at a
particular Toledo location with protest signs. Protests have
been held at the intersection of Monroe Street and Detroit
Avenue to highlight the fact that the majority of arrests
take place in our community although most crime takes place
in other areas. The group has also held a protest at Dorr
Street and Richards Road, the site of WTVG, the local
American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) affiliate. ABC has broadcast
an interview with Mike Brown killer officer Darren Wilson.
What are young people thinking?
Some recurring themes heard from the youth were:
·
More than anything, we want clergy, nonprofits and
professionals to be mentors, friends and supporters. We want
someone to just give a damn about us even if it requires
higher standards or personal change.
·
Please don’t preach to us.
·
We do what we see others do, especially other adults.
·
People don’t understand the struggles experienced by the
large number of us who live in extreme poverty. We are
exposed to constant negativity, which causes us to socially
disengage.
·
We love our music and use it to cope for the tasks at hand.
·
We want nice, expensive things just like everyone else. We
think that the nation can solve our unemployment problem if
it wanted to. We then could buy what we want.
·
We have positive as well as negative experiences with the
police.
·
Our young, white friends are also harassed and disrespected
by the police.
So, what can we, as parents and elders, do to support and
empower youth for change-making?
If the promise of change in the coming of our youth is to be
fulfilled, then their voices must be unmuted by providing a
place at the table for them among our “contacts.” Youth must
participate in change-making efforts as full and equal
partners.
As adults, we must also work on building trust with youth by
doing more listening and refusing to allow the
powers-that-be an opportunity to co-op the movement by using
clergy or others as a tool to “keep the calm” or for other
pacification strategies.
Finally, as young University of Toledo women’s basketball
player pleaded adults, “Please don’t give up on us. We need
your help more than you think!”
The message of the Season is that we need the younger
generation, even more. Let them speak!
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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