Reflection on Juneteenth

OTHELLO by William Shakespeare at @ShakespeareinDC until June 28 🔥

“O Beware, my lord, of jealousy!”🔥 OTHELLO by William Shakespeare Directed by Simon Godwin May 19-June 28. Shakespeare Theatre Company. Washington DC.

In America today, the government is using coercion, threat, censorship, intimidation, disappearing, extortion to support an authoritarian regime. It’s clear this is their modus operadi. The threat is stifling people’s lives for fear their actions or speech will make them a target for destruction. For many Americans this is a shocking dystopian change to our society that threatens our values. Never seen before. But for me, it’s a reminder of growing up watching my grandfather farm sugar cane in Louisiana. He was charged more for feed and seed, his crops were devalued never getting the fair market price, by the same sugar mill threatening to steal his land pressuring foreclosure by driving him further into debt. He was attacked with coercion, threat, censorship, intimidation, and extortion. For many in our community this is nothing new. This has been the America we have always known. The challenge now is to replicate how we have survived and thrived in authoritarian America. Exercise radical self care. Nothing counts so much as family. Care first for your family to prepare to care for your community. Be serious. Elevate education and excellence and truth. It will not only fortify you against attacks but embolden you to meet them head on. There is an attack on dissent. Be prepared. Truth will be your shield. To thine own self be true. There are those who do not have your best interest at heart but will tell you otherwise. Exercise your right of self determination. We don’t know if this is a Pandora’s Box never to be shut again. Reach for the best part of your human nature as others manifest the worst part of theirs.

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