Black Lives Matter: An Interview with co-founder Dr Melina Abdullah
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Melina Abdullah. She is not only the recipient for the Chatham House Centenary Award for Diversity, but one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter and the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter Grassroots.
Dr Abdullah helped build Black Lives Matter after Trayvon Martin’s death drew the public’s attention to the brutal killings of black people that happen all too often yet go unnoticed. While in London, Dr Abdullah not only obtained this award, but took time to help build up Black Lives Matter UK, speaking out on violence that happens toward black citizens in the UK.
Black Lives Matter is about justice, not revenge. It is an organisation started after the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Many lives have been taken since 2013, such as those of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, but Black Lives Matter aims to right the deaths of these innocent people.
Black Lives Matter Grassroots deals with the action and organising side of the movement so as to put justice into reality. This organisation aims to create a world where black people are free and safe, just as anyone would want for themselves.
Black bodies are wrongfully used by police as a test for society, according to Dr Abdullah, who used the metaphor of the canary in the coalmine as per Scholar Lani Guinier. “If the canary came out, the miners would survive. If the canary didn’t come out, you know you had better not send those miners in. Black people are the miner's canary.”
If you feel that this is not your problem because you are not black, then you are wrong. Dr Abdullah explains: “What happens to black people is that if black people survive and thrive then that’s what happens to everyone else.”
There are also other organizations that are involved in Black Lives Matter that specifically cater to white people who want to be involved. For instance, there is Show Up For Racial Justice and White People 4 Black Lives, just to name a few. And of course, anyone of any race is welcome to participate in any Black Lives Matter event or organization.
Traditional protesting is one of many ways to get involved in Black Lives Matter. But many people have the wrong impression of what these protests look like. They seem to think of them as being very serious and dark, as that’s how the media sometimes portrays them. But that’s generally not true.
“I’m thinking about the one I’m preparing for now,” Dr Abdullah notes. “Where we always open with vibration and prayer, and then we have speeches, then our children close it out and it’s just a really beautiful space for us to be in.”
Using your voice and not only your body is important as well. There’s been a lot of negative propaganda and myths surrounding Black Lives Matter, and one way to be an ally is to debunk those myths.
Many people don’t know how to properly find the correct sources. Looking at an original source is most effective for finding the correct information. Signing petitions is important as well. When fourteen year old Andrew Joseph III was killed, Black Lives Matter supporters not only protested but created a petition ending qualified immunity. There are likely many lives that have been saved because of this.
There are other ways to align yourself with Black Lives Matter. Social media is extremely important these days as we all know. It makes a difference to retweet #BLM and any affiliated hashtags.
Black Lives Matter has chapters all over the world. While in London receiving the aforementioned award, Dr Abdullah continued to help build awareness for those who have experienced violence, discrimination and death from unjust systems. She discussed the importance of speaking up for those who were lost, such as Mzee Mohammad and Muhammad Muhammad Hassan.
“We were building with Black Lives Matter UK, which is a really beautiful movement there and it’s important for British folks to know that police violence isn’t only in the United States.”
People who say “All Lives Matter” are completely missing the point. It’s not that any one race is better, it’s that all races deserve the same sense of safety and opportunity. Because black people do not receive this, we need to create a platform where this issue can be heard.
Because of people like Dr Abdullah and others involved in Black Lives Matter, countless lives will continue to be saved. This is everyone’s issue across the globe. For more information on how to get involved, please visit https://blacklivesmatter.com. There are so many ways to protest and raise your voice for lives at stake and those wrongfully lost.
Written by Katie Coughlin
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