Alarm clocks have been ringing in America for quite some time.
Before and during the Civil Rights era, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and most recently when the 47th president of the U.S. claimed America would be “woke no longer.” A plethora of people cheered, excited to hear his statement, permitting them to close their eyes to the reality of an America that continues to hunt the dreams and realities of millions who have little to no say in the decisions of the country they occupy.
The phrase ‘woke’ has received much attention and backlash since 2016.
For most, the first time they heard it was in the lyrics of Childish Gambino’s hit song ‘Redbone,’ and for others, they heard the phrase used in 1938 by blues musician Huddie Leadbetter (aka Lead Belly) in a protest song that reminded and urged Black communities to stay woke and alert in the world around them. In the present day, the phrase has gone from uplifting communities by urging them to recognize how they were being displaced, discriminated against and silenced when it came to fighting for the right to exist, receive respect and resources regardless of their identities. Woke went from urging people to demand what was owed to them by challenging the systems around them, to being considered a harmful and hateful word used towards white people.
The co-option of ‘woke’ is also what is happening with diversity, equity and inclusion. Researchers, advocates, educators and others who employ the frameworks around woke and DEI have a common mission and goal — to dismantle and interrupt oppressive programs, practices, policies and positions that aim to restrict resources and opportunities for vulnerable communities and populations.
The purpose of these frameworks never included excluding white people and making secret agendas of retaliation. Although the data and historical narratives suggest these groups should be upset and have every right to ‘flip a table,’ most of these individuals want the essence of intentional humanity. These individuals want fair and just education, health care, food options, justice and the right to live in communities that are not forgotten because they are not situated in suburban areas. However, these same individuals are expected to remain calm when they rebuild, advocate and be resilient in the face of adversity.
Yet, those who created the barriers for these communities begin to weaponize their efforts to wake up their communities and champion DEI to improve the spaces they never created or destroyed. And somehow, being ‘woke’ or implementing DEI became the issue and not the corruptive payers who created these harmful experiences.
As executive orders flood media timelines and newsfeeds, we are watching the stripping of resources and advocacy in real time. It is already creating barriers, and the long-term impact will continue to rear its ugly head. Those who needed these systems are left to wonder what survival looks like, and those who were seemingly protected are now panicking when they recognize they, too, are the recipients of a hostile government takeover. 47’s bold statement of being ‘woke no longer’ is the statement of a person who has no interest or understanding of what 80% of Americans need to survive. His words should be the alarm clock ringing in spaces across the nation to take a moment and actually become ‘woke.’
Being aware of the inequities, histories, and harmful ideologies is a hard pill to swallow, for some, and instead of recognizing how to improve and rectify the root of the issue, our current government aims to silence and put Americans down for a nap.
If the work and ideology behind the phrase ‘woke’ is as harmful as it has been co-oped to seem, why are the same communities of Black folks, people with disabilities, Veterans, queer folks and poor folks still under attack? It’s intentional. When the priority is to make sure the wealthy are tucked in and safe, versus the well-being of others, it is a reminder that they want us to rest on a bed of intentional thorns.
Wake up, friends, and wake up soon.
Take care,
#DEIHomegirl
