The Power of Preparedness: Embracing Your Moment

What was my moment? I had only been the new NAACP National Director of Memberships for 30 days. Yet, I had to speak on one of the most important days in the fight for equality. On a day that marks how far we’ve come and how far we need to go. 

I had to be ready for this moment. We, all of us, have to be ready for the next moment in our lives. I knew I could speak. Thank you, Toastmasters. However, on that day with that audience, I was scared. I felt overwhelmed with emotion.

There I was in an MLK Day event in Pottstown, PA celebrating him. All this may not have happened if that moment he was hit in the head had a different outcome.

The MLK Butterfly Effect

My first memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a story I heard in elementary school. Anyway, my first memory of Dr. King was learning he was hit in the head by a baseball. Imagine that. Imagine where we would be if Dr King’s injuries were more serious than missing a couple games.

If the injury was more serious, he may not have led the Youth Unit of the NAACP. Maybe he wouldn’t have been a Morehouse man. He may not have been the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. This put him in Alabama, at that moment when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. Without all those moments in his life, he might not have been the central figure in the civil rights movement. A lot of moments in his life brought us to the day where everyone in the world celebrates his life.

We All Have Our Role

At the time, I had to get our membership numbers up. I saw my role as ensuring we are ready for the next George Floyd. I also aimed to prepare for the next Breana Taylor, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, and, dare I say, the next # moment. While I was optimistically prayerful that this doesn’t happen we all know truth bears out.  For every positive step we make “they” are making 3 more to keep us down. We know that.

All of us across America are going to be asked to be ready for the moment.

My job, my mandate, and my purpose was to ensure President Johnson had the people’s support. This included the power of as many as 46M black Americans, but especially the strength of 5M NAACP members, behind him. Power of the people at these moments are required.

Your Moment is Coming

So before I left the celebration I ended with this quote,

 “I come to the conclusion that there is an existential moment in your life when you must decide to speak for yourself, nobody else can speak for you.” MLK

They are trying to erase racial history from the books. Illiteracy rates are rising. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs are being phased out. Every day we are faced with undeniable information of the trajectory of America. Trust me, one day you maybe asked to rise to a moment.

I have faith in you, the entrepreneurs, you will be ready. To my marketing leaders, we are the storytellers and so history can never really be erased.

We will be ready for our next moment. As I was.

What Can You Do? Donate. Volunteer. Become a Member Today to a cause you care about.

National Urban League- https://nul.org/

Mothers of Black Boys- https://www.mobbunited.org/

NAACP –https://naacp.org/

Children Resource Guidance Center – https://www.cgrc.org/

Philadelphia Hampton University Alumni – https://hamptonalumphilly.org/

Operation Hope

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