From Moment to Movement: Our Push for Racial Equity
History has proven that the deep, consistent pain felt by people forced to the fringe of society will spark the movement for change. History also tells us that the hardest part is to sustain that change.
Movements start long before they reach a fever pitch. Last summer’s national outcry and the current racial reckoning has been in motion for years. Neighborhood activists, community organizations and passionate citizens have marched, mobilized, advocated and donated long before our favorite American brands decided that Black lives matter. In this moment when change is again promised to minorities and the underserved, we must give energy to efforts that have long-been on the front lines, standing up with our people to create and demand the same opportunities this country reserves for the privileged. They know the issues; they know the solutions. All they need is our support.
My mother understood this. Congresswoman Meek worked from inside communities to move oppressive policies and systems out of our people’s way so Black, brown and marginalized residents could prosper. It remains our focus at The Carrie Meek Foundation today, as we start the year with a renewed focus on rebuilding social systems to work for ALL people. In these last 11 months, local organizations have operated under immense strain to serve our community in a raging pandemic. Our investment funds their ongoing programs as a first step toward sustaining these organizations’ long-term work to solve the core inequities they address.
We won’t get to the finish line this year. Or even next year. But when we root our movement in knowledge and lessons learned from the past, we can get to a new place with the lasting change our community has fought and died for. Let’s lift up the residents who have lived those lessons. They will lead our movement into the future.
Lucia Davis-Raiford
President and CEO
