March on Washington

This upcoming Wednesday is the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and this weekend Ben and I headed down to DC to participate in the anniversary march. I'm still reflecting on the day and what it meant to be there, but I feel incredibly privileged that we were able to attend.

The sun rising behind the Washington Monument bright and early, when we first arrived.

It was simultaneously exhilarating to think about how much has changed in 50 years, and infuriating to think about how much further is left to go. It was heartening that there were many women speakers this time (unlike at the original), and that issues of immigration reform and LGBTQ equality were also included in most of the speeches (at the original march one of the main organizers, Bayard Rustin, was not given public recognition for his role because he was gay). It was also humbling to hear so many leaders of the movement speak, from the more contemporary (Eric Holder, Cory Booker, Sybrina Fulton, and Al Sharpton) to those with direct ties to the original march (Martin Luther King III, Myrlie Evers-Williams, and John Lewis). You can watch almost all of the speeches online (I found a bunch here), so if you weren't able to watch yesterday I highly recommend making time to watch now.

We somehow ended up this close to Representative Lewis after the march, which was mind-blowingly amazing.

At the same time, the Voting Rights Act was just gutted, the Zimmerman verdict made it clear that our justice system still values Black lives less than others, mass incarceration oppresses and disenfranchises people of color at astronomical and ever-increasing rates, educational equity sometimes feel so far out of reach I'm not sure my job is worth more than a drop in the ocean, and the list goes on... and it's all made worse by the fact that so many (mostly white) people believe that racism is "over" and we don't have to worry about any of these issues any more. Frankly, I was disappointed at how few white people were at the march, although I can't say I was surprised. I just don't see how we're ever going to achieve true, systemic change unless everyone - including and especially people with privileges that allow them to not have to engage with these issues unless they choose to - realizes social justice isn't an important issue, it is THE issue. It makes me think about the Jonathan Kozol quote:

So long as these kinds of inequalities persist, all of us who are given expensive educations have to live with the knowledge that our victories are contaminated because the game has been rigged to our advantage.

(Fun fact for those reading this who I know from college (which I believe is most of you): Kozol gained his experience in this area teaching in Boston Public Schools and working with students from low-income families in Roxbury, a mere 20 minute drive away from where we all spent four years tremendously benefiting from all the privileges it takes to be admitted to a place like MIT, and being set up for the lifetime of privilege having a degree from there confers.)

For me, the highlight of the day was the actual march after all the speeches. As we were walking in this enormous crowd, everyone around us began singing - at first "This Little Light of Mine," and then "Amen." I don't really know how to describe the feeling, other than... warm, I think. Warm and whole and hopeful.

Panoramic shot from where we were standing, with the Lincoln Memorial on the left and the Washington Monument on the right (click to enlarge).