Why I'm Taking Part in #ScholarStrike
Last fall, I was invited to attend my first PossePlus Retreat. It was a weekend of intense emotions, honest conversations, and active listening. What I learned that weekend forever changed me.
Iām committed to equality in all ways and try to be sure that whenever I have an opportunity to fight for a good cause, I go all in and do whatever I can to help.
This is why today and tomorrow Iām taking part in the #ScholarStrike that is happening through the United States and Canada.
According to ScholarStrike.com, this is an action inspired by the NBA, WNBA, Colin Kaepernick and other athletes, to underscore the urgent importance of addressing racism and injustice in the United States. Conceived via a tweet by Anthea Butler, this is designed to call awareness to the racial climate in America, and the rash of police shootings and racialized violence. Scholar Strike is both an action, and a teach-in. Some of us will, for two days, refrain from our many duties and participate in actions designed to raise awareness of and prompt action against racism, policing, mass incarceration and other symptoms of racism's toll in America.
Of course, I didnāt just want to cancel my classes and not do anything. What good would that do?
As a proud member of the Business and Management Faculty at Wheaton College, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to call in some favors from dear friends to help talk about racism, business and have honest conversations about the struggles that come with being a Black entrepreneur in America.
Pulling together something like this with only a few dayās notice isnāt easy, but I was able to get David Dylan Thomas, Lucrecer Braxton, Shawn Lee, and Joseline Mane all to give an hour of their time to chat with me on a Zoom webinar for our students. Each of them are people I love and respect that have stories that need to be shared and will certainly have thoughts to charge on our current troubling times.
Black lives matter and if you think that the students on your campus are not dealing with racial tensions and issues, Iām here to tell you that you are wrong. This is something that we all need to do whatever we can to move forward and fix.
It wonāt happen overnight. It wonāt be easy. Weāve all got work to do!
