At the Corner of Courage and Cowardice

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. One in a long series of stories/headlines which include:

· Driving while Black (Sandra Bland)

· Bird Watching while Black (Jason Ward)

· Selling water while Black (8 yr. old Jordan Rodgers)

· Waiting while Black (Donte Robinson, Starbucks)

· Jogging while Black (Ahmaud Arbery)

· Napping while Black (Yale Student, Lolade Siyonbola)

· Sleeping while Black (Breonna Taylor)

I thank God for cell phones which provided video of each of these episodes. These incidents, culminating with the horrific murder of George Floyd, have sparked global protests, outrage, and renewed calls for racial justice.

At the intersection of courage and cowardice, where do you stand?

For those who are wondering what can I do, my answer is, BECOME AN ALLY. As a white person, use your power and privilege. Hire and promote POC, callout bias and prejudice, welcome POC into your traditional white spaces (board rooms, universities, suburbs, associations). Be our internal salespeople; recommend us, sponsor us, mentor us, defend us, and yes, most importantly now, VOTE FOR US.

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has just upped the ante on the debate and your vote. No vacancy at the Supreme Court occurring so close to a presidential election in American history has been filled by Senate vote before the election. With less than 40 days to one of the most important elections of our lifetime, every effort is being made to suppress your vote. The most effective and chilling is the notion that your vote makes no difference and doesn’t count. The disinformation and lies about widespread voter fraud have already impacted voter turnout.

Again, we stand at the corner of courage and cowardice. Where will YOU stand?