Choice # 2. A Voice for Youth Leadership: Jeff Johnson

On March 6th, Harambee a multicultural organization at RIC hosted a lecture with activist Jeff Johnson, a producer for BET and host of the TV show Chop UP lives. It was an amazing night because he touched on very controversial and sensitive topics that pertain specifically to the black community in this country.

Johnson began his discussion by highlighting how issues pertaining black people are only celebrated during black history month throughout colleges and universities yet he notes “never celebrated by its own people.” He explained that Martin Luther King is only highlighted during black history month and that we lie about his commitment to activism because it makes us feel comfortable. MLK was not popular, he was considered a troublemaker yet we view him as the legendary activist of all times. Johnson says “we should rally about his spirits, not his speeches” because they are not relevant to the issues of social and political change of this era. How relevant is 2008 is to play I have a dream?

He provided the example of the young black teenagers from Louisiana charged with attempted murder and conspiracy charges after beating a white schoolmate following months of racial discrimination that started in a schoolyard tree. Johnson expressed frustration when this happened not because of the young teen’s necessarily but the up rise of black people going to Louisiana to fight the case. He says this is known as the “ring tone movement” which is the idea that we only move and take action when somebody calls. He was sad about this movement because people were leaving their towns to fight for these kids yet they did not fight in their neighborhoods for their own people.

Moreover, Johnson talked about the institutions responsible for maintaining activism for black people. Black churches were the jump off point for changes from slavery to the civil rights movement. He explained the 3 stages that the church went through which preceded this change:

• The revival cycle, when local churches was the source of revival for local communities, politically and socially. The role of the church during this stage was to save souls while saving lives.

• The convention season, when the focus became building infrastructure to cover the churches fees. Church separated the need to discuss issues of poverty and education in the church.

• Black effective officials, when the church was more concerned with charisma of its officials rather than the transformation and mobilization of the church to help black people.
  

Jeff Johnson concluded his presentation with tips on how to become an effective activist. He said “activism in not about leadership. It’s about action and movement.” Anyone interested in becoming an activist of an issue should take into consideration the following points:

1. What is my call? What pisses me off about this issue? What is the emotion that moves you?It is like calling your internal self.
2. What is my capacity? Identify organizations (there are some on campus) that might need help.
3.Understand that as I grow my capacity grows.
4.Build a team of people that are focused on a single issue.