I have to admit that I loved the idea of a “Liberation Weekend,” a kick-off to the 2017 Black August, which was spearheaded by DON’T SLEEP, a social justice activist organization in the true sense of that descriptor. The work of DON’T SLEEP very clearly and deliberately follows the eight pillars that are spelled out so succinctly on their website (naptowndontsleep.org), a contemporary take on the Ten-Point Party Platform of the Black Panther Party. And I appreciate how, as a group run by relatively young adults, they are grounded in acknowledging and building upon ancestral wisdom. Imani — Faith.
In other words, they are well read, and there is nothing better than that to sustain an activist group. Given this current political climate, I only pay attention to organizations that offer clarity of purpose and don’t compromise their values for a dollar from those who have a vested interest in their demise. Kujichagulia — Self-Determination.
The entire concept of that weekend truly spoke to my soul, because while the notion of liberation is certainly at the heart of the tradition of Black political thought and has often been discussed by some of our most profound intellectuals, like the Combahee River Collective, it is not a theme that you often hear today defining a series of activities in the Black community. So when I returned to Indianapolis from visiting my family and after seeing the buzz in this newspaper with the beautiful bold banner proclamation, I decided to make time to attend a couple of the events and find out if my own ideas of liberation were in line with the organizers’ ideas. I specifically went to observe, listen and learn — to understand.
DON’T SLEEP holds a lot of engaging events that many of my friends attend; additionally, the founder of the organization, Dominic Dorsey, is highly visible and well known. In fact, when there is some discussion of putting together a public event to highlight an urgent issue that needs some attention and pressure on the power structure, his name is one that consistently comes up as someone who has a real depth of understanding, has a critical and discerning lens and is rather fearless in speaking his truth in the public arena. But it’s not just him; they are a collaborative group of young people working side by side to make things happen. I like their style. Ujima — Collective Work and Responsibility.
So I found myself heading to the weekend Emancipation Address to hear the keynote speaker Elle Hearns at The Church Within. I was not particularly concerned with the details of who was present or not, in numbers or in terms of their racial, generational or economic makeup or any other perceived identifier; I just assumed all in attendance were genuinely interested in the event for similar reasons that I expressed. It was a good crowd. Once the event started, we experienced a formal flag ceremony honoring the general colors of Africa — red, black and green — and a well thought-out and informative libation ceremony, heard two remarkable spoken word artists and watched a passionate and talented young dancer, all before the keynote. I thought to myself, “This is right on time.”
Hearns spoke very clearly on the subject of both individual and collective emancipation, drawing frequently from the work of George Jackson (Soledad Brother) and getting at the heart of how the successful progression of the Black community must be all-inclusive and fully loving. She gave voice to the violence that many Black women experience today — trans and cisgender — and how this must be addressed, along with many other key factors. Umoja — Unity.
The next day I went to the Black Business Block Party at the Flanner House and was absolutely filled with pride seeing all the young entrepreneurs, selling fresh vegetables, unique seasonings, beautiful jewelry and great smelling oils, lotions and candles. Yes, DON’T SLEEP gets it! The path to Liberation is Nia — Purpose, Ujaama — Cooperative Economics, and Kuumba — Creativity.
Dr. Terri Jett is an associate professor of political science and special assistant to the provost for diversity and inclusivity at Butler University. Comments can be sent to tjett@butler.edu.
