Kamara Sudberry, 27, a native of Flint, Michigan, and diversity, equity, and inclusion specialist in healthcare, said that things might worsen before they get better.

“The deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery felt incredibly personal because of my proximity in age to theirs. I’m afraid that things might get worse before they get better,” she said.

Kamara Sudberry stands  in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. during the March on Washington on August 28th. Photo courtesy of Kamara Sudberry

Sudberry said that ironically, she was walking a 5K when news of Arbery’s death broke. She didn’t feel safe or comfortable afterward.

“I’ve been hurt about what is going on, but I have decided to pour my frustration into my work and use that energy to promote equity in the workplace,” said Sudberry. “Overt, cruel, and nasty racism is, unfortunately, something that I have seen all my life. Still, as a Black woman, the system feels designed for me to die early in life, and most likely, for no one to be held accountable for it.”

With the elections inching closer by the day, she hopes that a new dawn may be on the horizon. 

“I’m really worried about the effects that the election results will have in Michigan, but ultimately, I am hopeful, ” said Sudberry.

The disproportionate police brutality rates targeted towards Black people show that the shards of racial inequality remain firmly rooted in the U.S.

Nasredinne Younes wears the flag of his home country, Sudan, while holding up a “peace” sign. Photo courtesy of Nasredinne Younes

Nasredinne Younes, 24, a Sudanese immigrant and model for Endless Management in Grand Rapids, is also a senior studying Business and Public Relations at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. He said that he had had a hard time seeing people marching and protesting in almost every city across America.

“My Muslim faith teaches me about the principles of love, and racism is not love, said Younes. “I feel unsafe as a Black man in America. It’s almost like, you don’t know when they’re going to kill you. I’m scared for my life.”

But despite his fears, Younes said he has hope for the future. 

“Hope is one of the vital elements of human experience,” he said.“You have to have hope to keep moving.”

Black people are not the only ones feeling the weight of racism.

Kai Ton Chau, a Chinese-American adjunct professor at Calvin University and Cornerstone University is haunted by racism. Photo courtesy of Kai Ton Chau

Kai Ton Chau, 58, a Chinese-American adjunct professor at Calvin University and Cornerstone University,  said it’s personal for him too.

“The police brutality happening in America is very similar to what is happening in Hong Kong between police and citizens,” he said. “There is a lot of racial tension in the country, but it is good that we are talking about it.”

Chau said that he  became an American citizen in 2019. 

“I am now eligible to vote, and I don’t take that responsibility for granted,’ he said. “I want to think critically about how I exercise my political and civil liberties during these precarious times. Still, as we have learned from history, this too shall pass, so I am hopeful.”

But hope is not a sentiment that everyone shares in the face of the current rising racial tensions in America.

Monroe Aki O’Bryant, 43, a Brooklyn native who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is also an Abstract Photographer, Artist, Videographer, Curator, and Bus Driver. O’Bryant, who tells powerful stories through his art, said that hope is far-fetched for him because the Black community has been hoping for too long.

Monroe O’Bryant is interviewed at the Empowerment Network Podcast Show. Photo courtesy of Monroe O’ Bryant

“We sing, we march, but we never fight back. It’s time for us to fight back,” said O’Bryant. “Hope alone is not enough.”

Romel Jean Pierre, 27, a Haitian immigrant, Writer, Video Artist, Activist, and Non-profit Director for Konbit Mizik in Haiti, said that he is perplexed by the inequality which was all too apparent when he visited New York City.

 “I noticed that Manhattan was bustling with diversity in the daytime, but you could hardly find a Black person in Manhattan in the nighttime. Instead, they all lived in places like Queens and Flatbush,” he said.

Pierre  said he  is hopeful the deaths of  George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others will lead to change.

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PHILADELPHIA- At the corner of North Broad and Vine Street the men of Philly ReNew sat around a long conference table and waited with journals in hand on the first Friday of December.

A broad-shouldered man with a smooth, authoritative voice, stood up from the group and read.

“Through this congregation, through us being together, I’ve got a new belief in how to deal with things in life,” said Benjamin Wright, 47 of Philadelphia, a participant of Philly ReNew. “I got a different kind of pride and I’ve got a different kind of idea and this old battleship will float again.”

Philly ReNew, an ongoing 12-week program conducted by the Pennsylvania Prison Society, was created to help fathers with criminal backgrounds find employment and improve their overall quality of life during the transition from prison to community. Groups of members are called cohorts. Each cohort participates in ReNew’s two phases: life skills education courses at the Pennsylvania Prison Society and case management — utilizing the skills learned during the first six weeks to help members find employment — at the National Comprehensive Center for Fathers in Philadelphia, PA.

Although the focus is on job placement, ReNew takes the process one step further.

“We realized journaling is very therapeutic,” said Pamela Superville, ReNew Program Manager. “We have something in the room called black box journaling.”

Members of Philly ReNew sit around a conference table and read from their journals on Dec. 3, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA. ReNew is a reentry program for fathers with criminal background. Photo by Elyse Ann Mickalonis/Pavement Pieces

The concept of ReNew’s black box journaling is simple: the men of ReNew share entries out of their journals.

Members are encouraged to write in their journals every day to promote positive thinking and actions. During readings, participants are given a chance to discuss entries and reflect on their own experiences to relate with one another — helping each other identify and work through the difficult life situations that can occur post-prison, at home and pre job placement.

“Time to choose the road less traveled and it makes sense to me now, that on a road less traveled, there will be less traffic, so if I stay in my lane there’s nothing but checkered flags and victory laps,” read one member.

Members stayed positive and supportive of each other. They clapped, hollered and praised peers for their passionate prose during journal readings.

In order to participate men must be 18 years of age or older, high school graduates, unemployed or living below poverty level and a legal parent of a minor child, because ReNew is a father initiative program — helping the men become better, more responsible parents.

Cameron Holmes, ReNew Life Skills Educator and Job Coach, draws on his own criminal history to motivate group members to change the way they think, act and cope with the difficult issues that arise after prison.

“The 22 years I spent away, although I didn’t think it was just or fair … I understood it,” Holmes said. “But I really think it makes it not a waste if I’m able to help someone else avoid going through that same situation.”
Paul Mowatt, originally from Camden, NJ, came to ReNew to hone his interviewing skills for job placement, but discovered how love can be more powerful than money.

“My son’s birthday is Sunday and I can’t go out and buy him anything,” Mowatt whispered from his journal, “but I can show him my love. Mr. Holmes told me that … I don’t have to focus on what I can’t do and focus on what I can do.”

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