More than a Spectator
Photo by Mikita-Yo-Hieo for Unsplash
This past week marked a full year since the day that George Floyd’s life was cut short. As I reflect upon the events of that day and the aftermath that followed, my thoughts lie fixated on Darnella Frazier.
What 17-year-old wakes up with any foreknowledge that her actions are about to set off a movement that would reverberate around the globe?
It was Memorial Day, summer had begun, and Darnella had decided to walk to the local convenience store with her young cousin. Upon arrival at the store, she bore witness to a struggle that landed a man face down on the pavement. Perhaps by instinct, fueled by a legacy of pain and mistrust, she knew that the scene she was witnessing between a black man and an officer, just feet away, may not end well.
Darnella proceeded to take action in the way that she knew how, to capture the scene on video. She soon found herself among other spectators that, like her, were also simply going about their evening. In fact, she was not the only one that recorded Floyd’s murder. However, her steady, consistent hand produced ten minutes of truth-telling footage that paved the way not only for a small taste of justice for Floyd’s family, but a larger cry for justice that this generation had not heard.
Darnella had just a split second to make a decision.
To pull out her phone and hit record meant that she would step out of the spectator position and step into the story.
No one can fully know the weight that she has and will carry from that traumatic experience.
Too many have the ability to disassociate from the pain felt by neighborhoods wrecked by poverty, racism and abandonment. Sometimes, though, an ordinary person will come along and shine a light on unjust human suffering, causing our collective hearts to break open.
Over the last fifteen years at Think Tank, we have learned that one of the most significant things we can do to shift the way we tackle poverty and injustice is to connect people back to the human experience. We do this because we believe that all of God’s creation has value and is alive to make a difference on this earth.
As I reflect this week on Darnella’s action, I must consider where I’m at in my community’s story:
Am I avoiding places of pain and injustice so I can remain comfortable?
When I witness suffering, do I move on, assuming someone else will help?
Do I automatically assume when someone is in trouble, that they must’ve done something wrong, absolving myself from the need to care?
Am I willing to step out of the spectator seat and act? Am I willing to act not only in a moment of crisis but through the long-haul work of real change?
These questions aren’t stagnant. They require constant reflection, response and connection to a community that not only validates us, but continues to challenge us to be better.
If you’re wrestling with these issues, are not sure where to start, but want to partner with others to alleviate poverty in your community, please reach out to us at contact@thinktank-inc.org.
Marlo Fox is the Executive Director for Think Tank Inc. To learn more about Think Tank’s work, visit thinktank-inc.org.