A Cry for Justice: Echoes of My Ancestors’ Struggle
My fellow Americans, I come to you today not with a whine, but with a cry for justice — a cry that echoes the voices of my ancestors who have fought against oppression and discrimination for generations.
I am an African American DEI thought leader and writer, and I have seen firsthand the obstacles and barriers that have been placed in the way of my community.
Just last week, I received a deeply offensive and disturbing comment on one of my posts, a racial slur that sought to silence my voice and diminish my humanity.
But I will not be silenced. Instead, I will amplify the stories of my ancestors, stories that serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equality in this country.
I can imagine the terror and anguish of Emmett Till, a young boy brutally murdered for the color of his skin. I can feel the pain of my brother, harassed by Klan members for daring to attend an all-white high school. I can hear the frustration of my father, returning from the Korean War only to be denied a VA loan for a home because of his race.
I can recall the humiliation of being denied access to a bathroom, simply because it was “for whites only.” I can imagine the trauma of my great aunt, brutally raped by a white man who was set free, his crime deemed inconsequential.
And I can listen to the countless stories of my ancestors, denied access to professional degrees and higher education because of the color of their skin. “Blacks were not allowed at that university,” they were told, a cruel and dehumanizing reality that persists to this day.
Now, I witness the wholesale elimination of programs designed to increase the representation of marginalized communities, even in fields where they are severely underrepresented. Many claim we are in a “post-racial era,” but I see the remnants of a pre-racial era, a time when obstacles and roadblocks kept my community marginalized and second-class.
I worry for the future of my children, my grandchildren, and those who will come after them. I see a wave of white nationalists, determined to re-erect the barriers that have kept my community oppressed for far too long.
So, if I “whine,” it is not out of weakness, but out of a deep-rooted determination to ensure that the sacrifices of my ancestors were not in vain. I will not let their stories be forgotten, nor will I allow the forces of oppression to prevail.
My voice, and the voices of my community, will continue to rise, challenging the status quo and demanding true justice and equity. This is not the time to “let it go,” but to stand firm in the face of adversity and to fight for the future we deserve.
Join me, my fellow Americans, in this crucial battle for the soul of our nation. Together, we can dismantle the obstacles that have kept us divided and build a more just, equitable, and inclusive society for all.
Effenus Henderson
