Op Ed
How To Solve Racism In Ten “Simple” Steps
I was recently asked in the wake of all that has happened regarding the deaths of 7 American citizens over the past week as a result of ignorance “What do you suggest?” Amidst constant and consistent rhetoric about how to improve on race relations, what gets lost in the shuffle are those individuals who wish to take action but have no idea what action to take. I believe there is no one consistent methodology to equality. I believe that whatever your chosen strategy, you should have actionable steps to bring about the change you wish to see. I believe economic empowerment and atypical education is the quickest way to bring about the change I would like to see. As a result of my beliefs, here are my actionable steps as I see them;
1) Get someone a job. Every YEAR! You don’t have to be a hiring manager to forward a resume and vouch for someone.
2) Start your own business. Most of us have been talking about it for a while. What exactly are you waiting for?
3) Mentor a young person. Provide your experiences and expertise to someone you believe will benefit.
4) Use your social media platform and all other platforms to educate, inspire and uplift. We swear up and down our voices are marginalized then don’t say much once given a platform to do so.
5) Offer up the decades of expertise that you have amassed in all areas to others who could benefit from that information… FOR FREE!!! Sometimes in order to get paid, you need to pay it forward first with information and volunteered services.
6) Align yourself with like minded individuals. Before you do so however, make up your mind before you find a match for it.
7) Educate yourself. I don’t mean go back to school. I mean use the internet and every other FREE learning tool to increase your knowledge base.
8) GET OVER YOURSELF. Approach each and every situation with what you can bring to the table as well as what you can take away. Your perspective is just that. it is not invalid but it is not more valid than someone else’s. Is your perspective to your ultimate benefit? More importantly, is your perspective to the detriment of others?
9) Capitalize on yourself. By virtue of existing, I am a Male, African, New Yorker, Musician, Writer, Basketball fan, Brooklyn resident, etc… So that’s seven different entry points into seven different vast social networks in which I can offer expertise, build a network and profit as well as enhance my network.
10) Be consistent with your action so that the next time something like this happens in the community, you won’t feel 100% helpless. Part of that helpless feeling comes from actually not helping prior.
Eric Garner was selling cigarettes. Alton Sterling was selling CD’s. Philando Castile had a busted tail light. Mike Brown allegedly stole cigars. All economic issues that led to interactions with ignorant police officers which resulted in their death. Economic empowerment won’t stop racism but if lack of money was the issue that led to these interactions, I think we can take steps right now on a micro level to spread our wealth despite how little we believe it to be so we can minimize these interactions. More importantly, with economic empowerment comes a greater political influence which will allow for that preexisting ignorance to not be accepted or propagated.
So, what’s your plan? I’d love to know.
Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, Iâve posted the same pic of me in the hospital during my temporary and untimely demise in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to ânormalâ, I asked Eric âWhyâd you take the pics?â And he said, âI knew you would want to write about it if you lived.â Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.
You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6â4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her âYo, is that dude bothering you?â She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.
Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like âWhy are the other consultants making more money than you?â I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that âYou need to hire Alfred!â, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, âWhat if you didnât have health insurance when this happened?â I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.
My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor âWell Iâm not going anywhere.â She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says âWell Iâm not going anywhere either!â That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.
Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.
From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a âEnrique Pollazo!â And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!
Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.
Rest in Peace Eric. âBe Good.â
