MY REFLECTIONS
By Makram El-Amin - Executive Director, Al Maa'uun; Imam, Masjid An-Nur
The murder of George Floyd last May brought conversations about racism, front and center. Racism, police brutality, systematic racism, institutional racism, you name it, all these things have come forth.
The response to his murder is emblematic of the pressure and oppression Black folks have felt for generations in this country. This past year has brought everything to a head and calls us to engage more deeply in conversations about race and how it shows up in our lives.
It is so prevalent in every aspect of our lives, and it does not matter what we are talking about. When you look at things through the lens of race for Black people and Brown people, the situation gets worse no matter what the subject is. Whether it is economics, health, or education. The area and construct of race being discussed, within the context of that subject matter, shows how widespread this issue really is and how baked it is into our society.
We all have a stake in this. Everyone must lean in. No one can be a bystander. We are at a point where those who are not actively working against racism and the oppression of Black and Brown people, you are basically on the opposite side. There is no sideline or bystander that I can tolerate in this conversation.
Shared accountability means no matter what your vantage point or privilege, you recognize racism as an issue and confront it in your daily life.
Race is an issue we are taking head on. At the Masjid An-Nur Mosque, I have spoken about it from the pulpit. We have had webinars, lectures, and presentations regarding race, and how it shows up in faith and the work we do.
It cannot be denied how this has worked itself into every part of society. Minnesota will be forever different, seen as ground zero in the struggle for racial equity and justice, particularly relative to George Floyd. While this issue is not new and predates George’s murder, something is different. This moment needs capturing and leveraging for the betterment of us all.
The future holds what we make it hold. Successful Black neighborhoods and businesses need to become commonplace. This happens from within Black and Brown and greater society. Then, we will start to move the needle on other things.
Nothing will come to us simply by asking. We must demand it. Until we do, the outcomes will be the same and we will continue to get the same things we have always gotten. We need to change the narrative and conversation. Then and only then, will we begin to see the needle move on issues of race, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression.
ABOUT THE REFLECTIONS CAMPAIGN
After a year of reckoning with the ravages of racism in our schools, businesses, neighborhoods, and halls of justice, we see clearly that racism is deeply woven into every fiber of our society and that the consequences have touched each person in America. We see the depths of division and racism and the imperative to work in new ways to address very old problems.
The Center for Economic Inclusion invited leaders at all levels and from across sectors to share their reflections of the past year; several members of the Center’s staff have also participated. We wanted to learn how they have reckoned with racism over the past year; what is different in the places where they live, work, and play; what they think the the future holds; and what they think it will take to reimagine and build an economy that truly works for everyone.
We thank the leaders who answered our call to participate in this campaign. All week long, we will share their powerful reflections, in their own words.
> To engage with our entire Reckoning to Rise Together series, click here.