The future is dark. But what if this darkness is not the darkness of the tomb but the darkness of the womb? What if our America is not dead but is a country that is waiting to be born? What if the story of America is one long labor? What if all our grandfathers and grandmothers are standing behind us now, those who survived occupation and genocide, slavery and Jim Crow, detentions and political assault? What if they are whispering in our ear ‘You are brave’? What if this is our nation’s greatest transition?
Valarie Kaur, is a Sikh civil rights activist,
filmmaker, lawyer, and author of
See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love
“I’m good friends with Valarie Kaur and I was there when Valarie first gave the speech on a New Year’s Eve in 2017 at the Metropolitan AME Church, a historic black church in Washington, D.C. People were shocked by the results of the 2016 election and feeling the need to gather and encourage ourselves. It was the height of winter and so it was dark, as dark could be. When Valerie stood up and said those words, you could feel a seismic spiritual shift in the room. She was standing next to Reverend William Barber, who is an amazing civil rights leader, pastor, and leader of the Poor People’s Campaign. He was sitting in his chair listening to her very intently. He turned and looked at her and as he stood, the whole room stood and began to applaud. It was as though that was the truth that needed to be spoken in that moment. Yes, we have to face this darkness. But during difficult moments we gather up the force we need and confront the reality we need to confront in our lives in order to become something new. For me, in this moment, I’m going back and learning American history. I’m scrutinizing the white supremacy that we’ve all grown up in and that impacts my life and how it impacts me. Even as a progressive activist, I thought I knew about the realities of people of color in this country, but didn’t know. So, this is a moment of revelation for all of us, of drawing back the veil on what’s actually been going on in this country. Only when we realize what’s going on, can we actually start to fix it and become who we need to be. So yes, this is a moment of darkness, but it’s also a moment of opportunity because this is the only way we can heal and move forward.”
Rev. Jennifer Butler author of Who Stole My Bible?:
Reclaiming Scripture As A Handbook For Resisting Tyranny
