Friday, 25 Oct 2002
WASHINGTON, D.C.
For we who believe in freedom, we can not rest until it's ours." -- Adaptation of an old Negro spiritual, "Sweet Honey in the Rock"
I live daily by the words of freedom fighter and abolitionist Frederick Douglass: "If there is no struggle, there is no progress. ... Power concedes nothing without a demand." I am feeling this more today than ever. The responsibility is upon us all to challenge injustice wherever it exists, to use our individual and collective power to seek a more just, more peaceful, and more sustainable future for generations to come. We must struggle until the very end -- until our power is realized, until our liberation is here, until our change comes.
It's day three of the Second National People Of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, and there is one more day to go. The stories of struggle and victory have been shared, the injustices have been exposed, and the culprits have been "called out"; next, the marching orders will have to be given. Many issues and community concerns have been brought to the table -- some with resolution in sight and others that will take much longer to solve.
My experience here at the summit has been an invaluable one. The plenary sessions, working groups, and workshops have provided great information and a variety of perspectives on many important issues. The most valuable parts to me, however, have been the personal connections. I have been nurtured, encouraged, and inspired by the fiery spirits of the youth and young adults, and have been taken under the wings of my elders of all ethnicities. I have been given pearls of wisdom that are unforgettable. I have taken away inspiration that will remain stored in my heart and strategies that will help me back home in my community in Atlanta.
Atlanta-area pollution Osborne is working to clean up.
On Monday, when I started this journal, I was feeling down because of actions taken by my local government that will further expose my community to environmental hazards. I was saddened because we lost the battle for justice and for a better quality of life. Today, I am invigorated and even more committed to keeping on. My spirit has been touched, my heart has been convinced, and I know what I must do. I would like to end these journal entries with some positive affirmations and tools for the struggles that have been shared with me this week, and that I want to remember for as long as I do this work:
"My participation in the movement is based on the fact that I have faith in the people and their power."
"Just keep on keeping on! We especially need the young people. Some of us old folk are passing over, so it's time for you all to carry on the fight."
"The greatest leaders are those who are affected; let them lead."
"Freedom is not free."
"The point at which we stop struggling is the point at which we begin to lose all that we have gained."
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