Where to begin?

Honestly, I don’t even know. But let’s just talk. It’s time to face some hard truths about the state of our country. There’s a staggering level of hostility toward marginalized groups—Black people, Latino communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants and anyone who doesn’t fit the mold of classic American whiteness. If we don’t start being real about this, we’re doomed to keep cycling through this same suffering.

I get it. People are sad, disgusted, disillusioned. But as harsh as it sounds, sometimes a hard punch wakes you up faster than anything else. And right now, we’re reeling from a gut punch. It’s not a knockout unless we let it be.

We need to recognize that Donald Trump alone isn’t the problem; it’s the millions of people who back him. And it’s not just them. There’s also the massive block of voters who stayed home, letting this happen. Letting Project 2025 happen. Kamala Harris might not be the ideal candidate for everyone, but Trump certainly isn’t right for anyone except the ultra wealthy. And even those billionaires will find themselves vulnerable if the rest of America continues to struggle as they will under another Trump term.

But it goes beyond him and them. Some folks believe he’s just a puppet in a larger scheme. And here’s the issue: people were more worried about trans individuals supposedly invading their neighborhoods than they were about a Supreme Court remaking their rights. They fretted over immigrants “taking jobs” they didn’t want, all while ignoring an economy that’s actually thriving under Biden. It has been theorized that this about keeping America a white majority. That cultural short-sightedness and blatant hatred is the real threat to our future.

The truth? America is failing a basic intelligence test. Trump pitched his vitriol and rhetoric at a third-grade level (10 years ago it was fourth grade)—and it worked. The average reading level in the U.S. is only about sixth or seventh grade, which means a large chunk of the population is operating even lower than that. The Democrats need to grasp this reality. Voters who don’t trust facts or statistics still have the same voting power. Democrats have to start connecting emotionally, not just rationally. They need to “lower the vibration” if they want to reach people who are moved by slogans, not policies. Emotions trump logic, plain and simple.

Consider the Turkish proverb recently shared by White Stripes founder Jack White: “The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the axe, for the axe was clever and convinced the trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.” In an uncanny display of privilege, Trump convinced vast numbers of Americans that he was “just like them.” But everything he does is proof to the contrary. And soon, people will realize the cost, likely clamoring for someone new to “save” them.

That’s how Barack Obama was elected—not because people adored him, but because they saw him as a safe bet in a moment of desperation. And even then he was stonewalled by a government that wouldn’t work with him.

So, where do we go from here?

For my part, I knew this fight was coming, regardless of who won the election. I made a commitment to keep fighting for what I believe in, knowing that any path forward would be challenging. I knew the backlash would be fierce (understatement of the year) if VP Harris won, and it would demand resilience from every corner. This struggle isn’t hypothetical; it’s real and present, like when my accountant was confronted in the supermarket by someone who boldly asked, “Where are you from? You look like you voted three times.” The sheer ignorance of it all.

This is where we are. And if we’re going to change it, we have to be ready to fight, persist, and keep showing up, even when the odds are stacked against us.

The truth is hard to swallow, but as a community, we’ve got to face it: we’re at a turning point. The systemic setbacks, the misleading narratives, and the exploitative tactics aimed at keeping us down have all combined into a crisis that we can’t ignore. Yet, with all the adversities laid out before us, we still find ourselves divided, misled, and often, unmotivated to take collective action. Why? Because, deep down, we’re waiting for someone else to fix things. And that’s where we need a shift.

What we face is not simply a lack of leadership but a void in unified, community-driven direction. Back in the day, boycotts, sit-ins and community drives unified people for a shared cause. We had codes, we had community leaders, and we rallied around clear objectives. But over time, we’ve allowed those same codes to fall apart, trading in solidarity for individual success. We need to bring those codes back, adapting them for our times and taking a hard stance on building genuine Black institutions that prioritize community over profit.

This isn’t just about buying Black or supporting Black-owned businesses, although that is crucial. It’s about creating an entire ecosystem where we support each other, holding ourselves to higher standards, and consistently reinvesting in the next generation. Let’s be clear: creating wealth is not the only end goal, but it’s a powerful means to an end. Wealth allows us to build schools, support mentorship programs and elevate the youth who will one day lead the charge. It lets us define the narrative and the values of our culture, preventing others from exploiting our legacy, hard, ideas and creativity for quick profit. Hold the line.

One of the most powerful motivators is understanding that history is watching. Just as we look back on the legacies of Martin, Malcolm, Rosa, Madame CJ, Medgar, Harriet, Brother Garvey and countless unnamed heroes with reverence, future generations will look back on us. What will they see? Will they see people who sold out, or will they see people who fought tooth and nail for them, even when things looked bleak?

It’s on us to pass down something tangible to the next generation—a foundation, a legacy, a path. Our journey isn’t over. We’re still here, still capable of pushing boundaries, still ready to fight. But it requires commitment, it requires sacrifice and it demands that we stop waiting for permission to lead ourselves.

Let’s recommit to each other, our families and to communities. Because our future, our children’s future, is not just in the hands of politicians, rappers, entertainers or public figures. It’s in ours. And only through reclaiming our strength, values and defining our collective goals will we truly achieve the liberation we seek.

Straight Ahead.

“I want the world to know you won’t beat us, because we are the children of those who endured the worst forms of slavery and brutality that ever existed. Our parents survived the Middle Passage, where only the strongest got here. And after that we lost our name, our culture, our religion. And we’re still here. You may have a momentary victory, Mr. [President], but you do not know who we are.”

– Rev. Al Sharpton