During the month of February, all eyes are on Black History Month. There are social media posts honoring the memories of those who have changed history, citywide celebrations, events, marches and tributes. Over the past several years when the month of February approaches and our Black-awareness is at an all-time high, I’ve found myself thinking, “What are we doing to celebrate Black history 365 days a year?” Certainly, with a history as rich as ours, a year-round celebration is something we can easily accomplish. When history is made, progress is achieved. Surely we are making progress throughout the entire year, aren’t we? Yes, we are. We are making progress, because many are taking the leap of faith and claiming their seat at the table of community progress. There’s a seat being held for you … what are you waiting for?
Indianapolis, the table of community progress is open to everyone. We need you at the table sharing your ideas, thoughts and ideas about critical issues affecting our families. Historical and modern-day civil rights activists confronted issues that stalled our progress. Can you imagine what our history would have been if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. chose to sit back and talk about the unfair treatment of Blacks rather than confronting those who tried to oppress us? Or what if Rosa Parks decided to go ahead and give up her seat on the bus to avoid being arrested and chastised? And what if Shirley Chisholm let self-doubt or apathy prevent her from entering into politics? These are just a few of the countless individuals within our history that said no to the critics and fought to find their seat at the table of opportunity, and their efforts have forever shaped our world.
It is never too late to take your seat at the table of community progress. Taking a seat at the table is how history is made and lives are changed. In the next decade, our city will be transformed by new methods of educating our children, an expanded transportation network and new methods of protecting the safety of our residents. Our success will be led by a wave of progressive energy, led primarily by a new generation of organizers, thinkers and politicians. It is already bubbling below the surface in workplaces, neighborhoods, churches, college campuses, businesses and grass-roots organizations. Many are finding their seat at the table of community progress and have already waged successful campaigns to win public office, change public policy and inject new ideas into our community.
At the table of community progress, there is a great deal of discussion about the aspects of launching a successful social movement, and no matter your life experience, we all recognize the characteristics. First, a strong social movement embraces an “inside/outside” strategy, mobilizing people to protest, boycott, lobby and vote, while simultaneously working closely with allies along the way. Second, social movements don’t expect to bring about change overnight. Those seated at the table of community progress are long-distance runners, not sprinters; they focus on winning small victories that will lay the groundwork for long-term success. Third, they work on multiple issues, recognizing that each is an intricate part of a broader movement that requires building coalitions and developing trust. In this mosaic of movements, those seated at the table of community progress draw strength from each other as they work together to change public opinion and shape our thinking on many fronts.
The time for taking your seat is now. We can no longer afford for anyone in our community to stand on the sidelines criticizing, waiting for someone else to do the work and talking about “what they need to do.” The future of our city belongs to you. There is an open seat at the table of community progress and we’re waiting for you. Will you join us?
Maggie A. Lewis is president of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council.
