Why Me? Why Now?
While we march, protest and let our voices be heard, the attack on our humanity is very real and very present. Even in an unprecedented time of diversity and acceptance, the undercurrent of hatred remains. This a pivotal moment in our present time on this planet. Choices must be made. Paths must be taken. How we respond to this latest assault will create a ripple effect for generations to become. Will we begin our ascent or lose more precious ground?
I identify myself as a descendant of the Africans brought to the Americas during the maafa as well as individuals and peoples indigenous to the territories now called the Americas. I have not had in my life thus far, the luxury of knowing any more detail about my origins beyond that belief in my identity. Still I take most pride in that identity. Barbados, Guyana, Brooklyn, Philadelphia. It’s my DNA. It’s my experience. My life. I share parts of my identity with millions of people in this country and millions more on this planet. Black. Indigenous. African. American. Our shared origins and experiences make us kin. Bond us in a fight against a common enemy. Make no mistakes, war was declared on us 500 years ago and has been waged ever since. The easy point to make is how one-sided this war has been. Genocide. Colonization. Slavery. Imperialism. Apartheid. 500 years of a complete ass whooping. But in perspective, 500 years is pretty insignificant relative to the existence of man on this planet. So WE are losing the last few rounds of a very long fight. Who are WE? WE are the originals in this time. WE are the teachers. WE are the creators. WE are here to learn who we ARE. WE are here to win. Who are WE? WE are the PEOPLE.
With this innerstanding of my life’s purpose, my personal identity shapes my personal contribution in the war. I see my mission as who I am in this minute to do what I think is the most I can do based on my truth in every and any particular moment of my life. Today and in this moment, my contribution is THE PEOPLE VS. THE ANTI-PEOPLE.
We need to form a human chain back to the ancestors. So from the babies to the kiddies to the teens to the young men and women to the adults to the ole heads to the elders…we need those links. We need to find all of the elders we can and start creating those links while they are still here. We need to tell the stories, pass down the knowledge and work tirelessly towards healing and correcting the imbalance of our people. Through the written and spoken word as well as visual media and production, through outreach and community involvement, through institution building, THE PEOPLE VS. THE ANTI-PEOPLE is committed to the cause and committed to anyone who shares that commitment.
David Shanks
The People vs. The Anti-People