Yohuru Williams, PhD, distinguished university chair and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas, recently published a joint op-ed in the Star Tribune about how nearly five years since the murder of George Floyd, momentum around racial justice has largely been replaced by apathy and a growing indifference to the difficult, transformative work ahead.
From the story:
The forces of injustice lurk like a hidden predator, waiting for moments of vulnerability when our collective resolve weakens. If we are not careful, we risk falling into the same cycle: leaping one step ahead, only to later discover that our failure to maintain momentum has left us further behind.
We’ve met many incredible leaders over the past few years – people doing soul-stirring work that deserves to be celebrated, supported and sustained. But both of us have also observed stalling, pushback and plain opposition. Too often, Black leaders, especially women, are placed in highly visible, ambiguous roles – positions that carry immense responsibility but little structural support. When the going gets tough, many are left to fend for themselves, struggling under the weight of unrealistic expectations and fighting misogynoir – the intersection of racism and sexism faced by Black women. At times, it seems the very structure of white supremacy purposely keeps us all walking in circles, creating confusion, infighting and burnout among those fighting for equity, leaving us spinning in place.
