From Swag Surfin’ to Silence: America’s Progress Ain’t Shit but a One Hit Wonder

America loves hip hop.

America loves Black culture.

Americans will swag surf (off beat) every time the song plays in an attempt to capture what it feels like to be Black — for a fun, intoxicated moment.

America loves to benefit from the contributions of all minorities — but…

…that — is where America draws the line.

George Floyd’s murder was a rupture.

And for a moment in time, it felt like America was finally ready to confront its most uncomfortable truths.

The streets were flooded, not just with anger, but with hope.

People came together, shouting until their voices cracked.

Corporations scrambled to release statements and add black squares to their social media profiles.

CEOs tweeted their solidarity, and social media lit up with hashtags that promised change. It was loud, it was messy, but it felt different.

It felt real.

But if you slow down, and zoom out a little bit, you’ll notice a very American pattern.

History always rhymes.

Give it time and the veneer of progress in America always crumbles.

The promises of change?

That shit passed like a one-hit wonder from the 90s — you can recall it from time to time and laugh at how you thought the artist had staying power, but in reality-the glory days of the song are buried in yesterday.

The thrill is gone.

So is attention from the corporations.

And the CEOs.

And the people who aren’t directly affected.

Progress?

Child please.

Here’s the reality: in America, the fight for equality or equity is shouldered by those who have never had it.

For the majority, it’s a story observed from the comfort of their couches.

They might share a quick moment of outrage before they switch to Hulu, but it’s from a place of apathy.

The support from ‘allies’ is conditional AF.

They’ll post the right words, stand in front of the right banners, and drop all the right soundbites.

But will your allies commit for the long haul?

No way Jose’.

Minorities — we know justice isn’t a moment — it’s a marathon.

Then there’s the all-too-familiar game of tokenism.

A game as old as time that keeps the status quo dressed up in the outfit of the day.

A spectacle of inclusion.

Like Uncle Tom *ahem* Clarence Thomas, who would change his skin tomorrow if he could, or Rafael Edward “Ted” Cruz, the Cuban-born Canadian who does everything he can to sidestep his roots; and then there’s the CTE poster child, Herschel Walker, the one Georgia played in our faces with, by parading him around as a viable option for Senator.

They are the “Hot Cheetos of progress,” a spicy snack when those in power need to flex their version of diversity, but they’re all sizzle, no substance.

Then when you layer in social media — it gets even worse.

In one scroll, you go from a cop killing someone, to conspiracy theories about dogs being eaten, to flat earthers.

Algorithms keep us in a loop of confirmation bias.

Now what?

We have to face it head on and come to grips with the fact that America doesn’t care about inclusion.

Or being equal.

Or being fair.

Nobody does.

Not your friendly coworker who talks to you one on one but never risks saying anything publicly.

Not your allies.

Not the corporations.

Not the Republicans who make their disdain for minorities known.

Not the democrats who try to force you to vote blue no matter who.

Nobody.

So go ahead and be mad, angry, and disappointed.

Then take the scraps you have and get to work.

That’s what our ancestors did.

And it’s what we gotta do.

That’s how you get ahead in America.

And remember this.

Your progress won’t come from you waiting for a savior, but by you becoming one.

AJ

P.S. Never stop shining because even when it feels like it’s just an ember, it can light someone’s path.