What does it mean to move Beyond Performative Diversity in the workplace, and society at-large, in light of THIS mental health awareness month in MAY of 2022? Many are still unpacking the emotions triggered by the Buffalo, NY mass murderer who was apprehended by the police unharmed after killing ten people and injuring three who were simply going about their errands. Dehumanizing a whole group of people to perpetuate vile acts upon them, knowing his humanity still gets centered in the telling of the story is a privilege many Black people cannot fathom. How can we sincerely expect different outcomes when we keep prioritizing the comfort and familiarity of “rebuilding” from the same faulty foundations?
The Black collective is in a constant state of high alert, and the audacity to reclaim and revel in Black Joy is like an act of revolution that we all dare to hold on to whenever possible. During his recent speech, President Joe Biden said “white supremacy is a poison” and the Buffalo’s police commissioner called the shooting rampage “an absolute racist hate crime.” Authorities also said the Buffalo mass shooting suspect ” had been scouting the supermarket” and targeted this specific zip code. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 200 mass shooting incidents in the U.S. thus far in 2022…and we’re barely halfway through.
I’d like to honor, #SayTheirnames, and pray peace and comfort to the families of those slain in this violent attack:
- Roberta A. Drury, 32, of Buffalo
- Margus D. Morrison, 52, of Buffalo
- Andre Mackniel, 53, of Auburn, New York
- Aaron Salter, 55, of Lockport, New York
- Geraldine Talley, 62, of Buffalo
- Celestine Chaney, 65, of Buffalo
- Heyward Patterson, 67, of Buffalo
- Katherine Massey, 72, of Buffalo
- Pearl Young, 77, of Buffalo
- Ruth Whitfield, 86, of Buffalo
I’d also like to #SayTheirnames, and honor those who survived this violent attack and lived to tell their stories:
- Zaire Goodman, 20, of Buffalo
- Jennifer Warrington, 50, of Tonawanda
- Christopher Braden, 55, of Lackawanna
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The Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced that, the shooter, 18-year-old Payton S. Gendron of Conklin, New York was arraigned before Buffalo City Court Judge Craig D. Hannah on ONE count of Murder in the First Degree (Class “A-I” felony). To that I ask where are the attempted murder charges for the survivors, or the hate crime charge that it evidently is? It is NOT enough to simply say Black Lives Matter, and post performative solidarity posts. We show what we value through our investments of time, money and energy. The Black community has yet to see impactful changes that can effectively address the 4Ps to real Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI); Power, Privilege, Policies and Practices.
Our Asian brethren are also in mourning over the recent shootings in a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods, California. The police have a suspect in custody (David chou, 68) on recommended charges including 1 count of murder and 5 counts of attempted murder for those injured in the incident. The police are also considering charges associated with a hate crime motivation. A brave congregant (Dr. John Cheng, 53) fearlessly tackled the assailant to protect his community, and was killed in the struggle. I pray peace and comfort to the family and loved ones of all those impacted by this atrocious crime.
One of my favorite sayings is about what happens when “chickens come home to roost,” a phrase attributed to the revolutionary leader Malcom X. This saying simply suggests that the ills committed by an individual or entity will inevitably have a boomerang effect and return to punish the wrongdoing of the inflicting party in a similar fashion.
Our Native/Indigenous brethren are also in deep mourning this Mental Health Awareness Month as a federal study recently revealed over 50 marked and unmarked burial sites for indigenous children who were sent to boarding schools, supported by the U.S. government, to facilitate the assimilation of Indigenous children into white society. The report stated “Many of those children were buried in unmarked or poorly maintained burial sites far from their Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, the Native Hawaiian Community, and families, often hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away.”
The reality is that society has conditioned the majority of the population to irrationally fear Black bodies while allowing the biggest monster to roam freely without accountability. This illogical fear is perpetuated through continued associations of Blackness with words such as “thugs,” “violent,” “hostile,” “criminal element,” and “rough.” We have seen and heard time after time how the police have justified shooting and killing Black men who are often unarmed/legally armed because they, as trained professionals, felt afraid; even when the suspect was postured in surrender or was trying to get away from the police in fear for their own safety.
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When we talk of mental health, mass murderers, and misplaced fears…this is the story of America and its founding. Studies have consistently shown that the overwhelming majority of mass shooters are WHITE MEN. Unsurprisingly, when you begin to peel back the layers and lift the proverbial carpet the culprit is the same monster; WHITE SUPREMACY in its various forms rearing its heinous head to prove it is indeed resilient and must be eradicated from the root! Superficial treatments and quick fixes that simply cloak the real issues will not save us. We must also more consistently validate folks’ lived experiences. Racism is a public health crisis and we must move Beyond Performative Diversity to real equitable inclusion if we are to see real changes in our workplaces, communities, and the world at-large.
#BeyondPerformativeDiversity #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #COATBWNAFWW #LetsHARPaboutIt #HaitianHeritageMonth #AAPIheritageMonth #JewishAmericanMonth #WinnieOSaidSo
