At this juncture, I pause momentarily to acknowledge and celebrate that the call for restitution for Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC, Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE, and Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP. has been met. I celebrate knowing that this marks a milestone for their continuing as well as our collective healing.
I and my fellow co-conspirators chose to walk in lockstep with Nneka, Muthoni, and Mide in their demand and quest for restitution for harm imposed and experienced. The process has been long (four years), unsettling, distasteful, and grueling. It has also been inspiring, reaffirming, and comforting because our approach and actions were anchored in building and mobilizing a community of supporters.
We moved in a way that reminded me of a book written by Dani McClain called We Live for the We, The Political Power of Black Motherhood. While this process sought specific restitution for Nneka, Mide, and Muthoni, we kept reminding ourselves that indeed our efforts were for the ‘we’ grounded in the knowledge and understanding that our energy and efforts had to focus on the long game – removal of oppressive barriers, justice, and liberation.
Together we Stood, Together we Stand, Together we must continue to Stand.
Nneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCCNneka Allen, CFRE, COC, PCC• 1st• 1stRelationship Builder/Stone-Catcher/Freedom Fighter/Writer/CoachRelationship Builder/Stone-Catcher/Freedom Fighter/Writer/Coach
“After taking this grueling journey of dirt road antiracism, humanity can come upon the clearing of a potential future: an antiracist world in all its imperfect beauty. It can become real if we focus on power instead of people, if we focus on changing policy instead of groups of people. It’s possible if we overcome our cynicism about the permanence of racism. We know how to be racist. We know how to pretend to be not racist. Now let’s know how to be an antiracist.”
~ Ibram X. Kendi, How To Be An Anti-Racist
Birgit Smith Burton, Mide Akerewusi, B.Sc., M.Sc. (Econ), CSR-P, CDEP., Múthoní Karíukí HBSc, MPNL, CFRE, Nicole Salmon, Camila Pereira, PhD, Stephen Hinds, MA, CPHR, CHRL, ACC, COC, Esther Saehyun Lee, MA, Rickesh Lakhani, Cathy Barrick (she/her/hers), Julie Berthoud-Jury, Mazarine Treyz, Nicole Jamrozinski, Elizabeth LeClair, Scott Russell
