I had the privilege of interviewing one of my good friends and fellow classmates, David Terrell, regarding questions covering the Black Lives Matter movement and race at large.
Q: Can you describe your ideologies? Are they the same with BLM or do they differ?
A: I describe myself as a Black Liberator/Freedom Fighter. I work day and night trying to educate people of the notions of white supremacy and the reasons the system must be destroyed for those of color(specifically blacks) to truly be free. I feel the notions of most in the BLM movement aren't trying to destroy but rework/write the way society works. Basically, they're working from the inside-out, I work from the outside-in.
Q: Please describe the aims and mission of the Black Lives Matter movement in 1-2 sentences.
A: This is the link about their "about us" and "demands" http://blacklivesmatter.com/about/ and http://blacklivesmatter.com/demands/
I would like to say that the movements and idea were started by three beautiful, powerful, intelligent black women: Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. Also, because of the movement and their ideals, they helped me wake up and partially created a path to the current ideologies I subscribe to.
Q: Can you provide some examples of BLM events that have taken place over the past year?
A: Ferguson, NYC, almost every major city has had a protest with the name, and there are several chapters throughout the United States.
Now, the movement is taking their demands and plan to the faces of the system. Unfortunately, I'm starting to see that most in the movement aren't serious and/or trying to wait for the "white" savior to come. IF we cant work, buy, vote, build, sustain, and protect (MOST IMPORTANT) black all the way, the movement will crumble just like the Civil Rights Movement (black power, black liberation, nonviolent, etc. etc. etc.) of the 60s.
Q: Do movements such as feminism and LGBTQ rights have a place in BLM? If so, what is there place?
A: BLM is about race and color and the underprivileged of living for those who are black or other. Feminism and LGBTQ paradigms have continued to oppressed, abandoned, mistreated, unacknowledged those of color. Their foundations are both build upon the notions of inequality and most in those movements do not know their history and try to denied this base.
Q: Similarly, do you believe there is a place for white individuals within the movement?
A: In this movement, I will say yes. In my movement, yes. Their duties and level of involvement should be low. BLM and Black Liberation movements only need whites to know their faults, tell other of how they can change society without taking shine from the movements, and how to avoid taking offense to those who do not want to work with them.
Q: How do you feel that your personal identity has played into your role in the movement?
A: Even though I'm not part of the movement, the hashtag #blacklivesmatter helped change my live and others like me.
Q: I understand that BLM said they will not be endorsing any candidate in the coming presidential election. That being said, what qualities/policies/platform would a potential candidate need to have in order to gain the support of BLM?
A: For the purpose of BLM, they want an individual who supports the notions of equality across the board and is willing to stick their neck out for them in the White House. Some in the movement are more radical and want more of things of those of the Black Liberation Movement.
Q: Some have argued against Black Lives Matter, saying “all lives matter.” How would you respond to these individuals?
A: “All Lives Matter” all lives have never mattered in this country since the invasion of Christopher Columbus to now. These same individuals saying “All Lives Matter” are not seen when whites are also murder by the police. They are silent because they fear that Black Lives Matter may turn into something in a vengeful manner those them. Because of privilege and White Supremacy, those of color are oppressed by the system. When those who feel that their privilege is being taken from them, they start new movements and phrases such as (Feminist/LGBT) and anything that infringes on their comfortability. All Lives Matter is a slap in the face of those fight to be equal and free. Those behind this phrase are racist in my eyes.
Q: If it is not too personal, can you please describe a time that you felt systematically and intentionally oppressed?
A: Sure. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. There are five main communities in LR: The Heights (Cantrell Area), West Little Rock (Chenal), Southwest (Baseline), West Little Rock (Barrow), and East Little Rock (East End/College Station). The Heights and West Little Rock (Chenal) are areas were mostly whites stay. They have nice parks, communal control of police (the police do what they are told, lives there, about of the well being of the community), businesses owned by the community members, etc etc etc of positives. In Southwest (Where I’m from), West Little Rock (Barrow), and East Little Rock, these are deemed “hoods." These communities are called ghetto and do not have communal control. SW is about 80% black, 15% Hispanic/Latino, 5% white. Here is where descriptive representation does not show, almost all of the businesses are white,hispanic/latino,Asian,African, or other. There are only about five black own businesses without counting churches. SW includes about thirty-five thousand people. Here some more, the police do not seem to care much about crime in the community. Crime can happen and you call, and if they show up, its about 2 ½ to 4 ½ hours later. Luckily, having ADT, they come in about ten minutes. The police station for my neighborhood is about three minutes away from my house. Also, when there are power outage, communities (Chenal Areas and The Heights) are the first to be fix. We are the last in Southwest. Energy’s truck station is about two minutes away from my house. But why are we always last? If that’s not systematic/intentionally oppression then, what is? I think I have a better answer: our parks are always ran down; schools underfunded; liquor stores,pawn stores, and gun stores are on every corner; almost everybody works a 9-5, is middle-class, and mostly to not have a college degree; and drugs and prostitution runs rampant as alternate methods to the norm. It’s bad to say the least.
Q: What is the end goal of the movement? Will there be a moment that you can sit back and say, “we did what we came here to do?”
A: Idk, I believe my movement and theirs will meet in the middle in the end, but the way Black Lives Matter movement has acted in the streets and on twitter/tumblr, a lot of them aren't real/true. I feel there are a lot of corrupt folk saying their down, and then they aren’t. Same in my movement, many speak, but few show up. I wish I could do more and be on the streets fighting day to day, but because of my placement at Sewanee, many things are too far for me to truly be completely active in my movement. But, I am still effective.
Q: What do you see as the cardinal race issues within the Greek community and the Sewanee community at large?
A: Since we don’t have Sociology 101, no one truly understands what race is and isn’t. Race is about color, and that’s it. If you’re not white, you’re something else (Black!). Ethnicity, Origins, and Religions to not count as substitute to your truly status in White Supremacy. If you look white, act white, do white, you have a much easier path throughout this life.
This may not be a race issue, but a bigger issue is everyone does not want to be held accountable. Everyone wants to be a leader, but doesn’t know the movement’s foundation or organization’s history. That’s like saying, I’m a feminist standing for all women, but a lot of Sewanee individuals don’t know that the foremothers of the movement were racist and that hatred has continued into today in forms of invisible racism, structural oppression, etc., etc., etc.
Q: What can Sewanee do to support the movement and foster a community that practices what BLM preaches?
A: If the police released a public statement on how they feel about police brutality, and the shit that’s going on around the country, that will do wonders. I think that Chief Marie would love to do that, but i don't know.
Also, Sewanee must talk about its history(the negatives included). How can we be an institution of traditions and not know the entire history? Depending on how the semester goes, conversations will probably intensify when there is a panel about race, which I feel in my spirit is coming fast, quick, and in a hurry.
Bring back Multicultural Weekends, those were very helpful for those of us(AA) who now currently attend. But not diversity doesn’t mean just race anymore, so we are not probably going to have a lot of black people on this campus anymore. It was not a lot to begin with, but now it's getting smaller.
Sociology 101! It could teach the institution a lot about race and the systems of oppression
There’s more but this section could get long.
Q: Any last thoughts?
A: Always fight for those who are oppressed, because freedom means no fear, no more privileges.
Thank you, David, for your time and articulation.
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