Lift others by making
INTENTIONAL IMPACTS
INTRODUCTION BY
COURTNEY LEWIS
“ I ’ m rooting for everybody Black . I am . Betting on Black tonight .”
When asked to contribute to this publication I asked what exactly the editor was looking for ? He was sure to tell me that he wasn ’ t about to tell me what to write ( he ’ s met me before ) but that the tone of the magazine was to help create a deeper understanding of the issues facing Black people in our community .
My first thought was the same things that impact everyone else in America , but with the added layer of being Black . That felt like a very short submission . Now , the only thing I ’ m a subject matter expert in is myself , but as I was making a list of topics where I had some manner of relevant experience , what really stuck out was I had a list of problems for which I had no solution . Lots of opinions , but no real action item that didn ’ t come back to people need to stop being racist .
For those of you wondering what the list included , I ’ ll indulge you ... finding community , representation , cultural expressions that don ’ t lead to you explaining why people shouldn ’ t be racist , the importance of healthcare , the long-term effects of dealing with microaggressions ... I think you get the picture . Lots of issues . Lots of solutions . So , I decided to take more of a FUBU approach . While I understand it ’ s making a comeback , for those of you who are unaware of what that means , FUBU — For Us By Us — was a clothing line from the late 90s / early 00s . I am a firm believer that the catalyst of growth must come from within . Strong allies are tremendously important in any movement , but the driver needs to steer .
The quote I opened with was actor , writer , producer and resident Awkward Black Girl , Issa Rae ’ s response to a red-carpet reporter at the 2017 Emmy Awards when asked who she was rooting for to win that night . Everybody Black . I think about that a lot . She is a Black woman who has been very intentional about supporting , advocating and creating opportunities for Black people . I ’ ve previously written about the importance of representation and the impact that can have , especially on children , but what happens when we really root for Black people , for one another ? I say this knowing that there are going to be people who are immediately turned off by that notion . People who will say something like “ I don ’ t see color ” or “ Why does it have to be about Black and white .” I believe that we can all root for each other , but if you ’ re reading this right now , the context is Blackness and I honestly believe that we have the ability to make the deepest impact , when we root for Black people .
I see this silly little farmhouse sign of a meme all the time that says something like “ If talking to plants kindly makes them grow , what do you think it does for humans ?”
4 2022 Diversity Magazine