3.25.18: Philadelphia – (Politics): Preceding Saturday’s March for Our Lives in Philadelphia, which took a route from ritzy Old City towards the lavish waterfront properties on Delaware Ave, a scene with a similar goal of reducing gun violence unfolded in a less glamorous part of the city.
On Friday evening, dozens of residents of Philadelphia gathered at 52nd & Market Street under the elevated-train to remember the life of Ms. Dominique Olgesby, a young African-American student and singer who was shot and killed there last Sunday in broad daylight, following a dispute inside a bar.
The sound system at times was awkward; incomparable, for sure, to the pro-audio which was utilized by the students and activists on Saturday. The staging also wasn’t as generous as that which was parked on Delaware Ave and Lombard Circle. But beyond the cosmetics, the starkest differences between the two events were the messaging and the audience.
At Friday’s vigil, organized by Mr. Bilal Qayyum of the Father’s Day Rallying Committee, black men and boys – many who were likely taught not to cry in public, if at all – embraced each other and wiped tears from their faces; black women and girls did the same. A mood of profound sadness – amplified by the unpredictable but understandable shrieks from Ms. Oglesby’s mother – were inescapable for that moment in West Philly.
No mention of the National Rifle Association was made, and there was no consistent urging of the public to vote. There was no widespread denouncing of President Donald J. Trump and inaudible were calls for Congress to act. What I did hear, however, was a need to emphasize responsible parenting and non-violent conflict-resolution.
At Saturday’s march and rally, black men and boys, and black women and girls, weren’t as easy to spot, which is not to assert they didn’t show up. The Philadelphia Student Union – which often centers the voices of those most marginalized – were a part of the organizing body. And student leader Mr. Tamir Harper, named a 2018 young futurist by The Root, was spotted backstage, though it was unclear whether he was scheduled to speak.
Nonetheless, the difference in racial makeup at Friday and Saturday’s anti-gun violence events were glaring and, to a degree, disappointing. The two scenes underscore an argument made by black folks since the issue of gun violence became the news media’s golden goose: black and non-white communities where gun violence is an everyday occurrence aren’t garnering nearly the amount of attention or resources as the dominant culture, which is to say business as usual is prevailing.
Communities where black and non-white people live owe it to themselves now to disrupt business as usual; to steal the show; to reclaim the narrative around who’s truly impacted by gun violence.
The March for Our Lives was really a march for their lives, and now we, African-Americans, must show up and be counted for. We must walk-out and stand up on our terms; raise awareness of our unique circumstances; and vow to never again be written into history as extras and spectators. For gun violence is no stranger to us but rather a frequent visitor.
Thanks for reading! Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® and I’m Drumming for Justice!™
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