Courage in Community

May be too much to ask…

Yet, in the face of fear, choose the most courageous thing. If losing your life wasn’t an option, what would you do when confronted with what looks like could turn deadly or hazardous?

Let me explain my thinking.

In New Orleans (and I’m sure many other inner cities), there is a dangerous and violent trend of youth committing crimes and harming folks while doing so. As a result, most of the adult people are afraid of them, to approach them, to mentor them, or even to drive/walk near them. This is because certain young folk have created habits of robbing people/their cars/homes, breaking into cars looking for guns and money, and shooting one another and also innocent citizens. The adults would rather stay out of the way to protect their own lives, turn the kids over to police, or completely move out of the area, instead of intervening on these actual atrocities. I want to share a little story about one of my experiences as an Uber driver.

‘I arrived at the pickup of a trip. The apartment complex was dark, no street lights, and the neighborhood used to be the actual projects so I wasn’t eager to meet the passenger at the front door. So, I waited on the street. Soon, four young men in all black hoodies come towards the car. Only two of them continue on to get into the car, the other two go into the direction that I would be pulling off to.

The one who got in on the passenger side, in the back, greeted me,

“How ya doin’ ma’am?”

“I’m doing good… How you?”

“Ooh what year this car is?” the other young man, who got in behind me asked.

“What? Now see, that’s what the people be talking about.”

“WHATCHU MEAN!?”

“Whatchu need an electric car for? It’s not even a good investment. You didn’t even close the door good and you asking questions about the car. You know the old folk scared of y’all? All the foolishness with stealing cars and robbing people.”

“You can’t be scaring people man! Asking all kind of questions…” The friend was both respectful and spatially aware. At this point, I’m still not certain who ordered the ride.

“I’m sorry ma’am. I’m not trying to scare you.”

“I’m not scared. I just took the opportunity to have this conversation. I rode with an Uber driver this morning who told me that he was robbed last night by three young boys close to y’alls age. It’s out of control and it really doesn’t even have to be.”

“Oh no, that’s not us.”

“Good. I didn’t assume or expect it either. Just know, you don’t need to be trying to get an electric car… Not in New Orleans.”

background music changes

“Oh I like this song. I know her,” the more respectful friend proclaims.

“I bet you don’t. Who is it?” I responded knowing that he didn’t know.

“Summer Walker!”

“No sir. LOL it’s an artist from here, she’s signed to Roc Nation. Her name is Ambre.”

“Oh yeah, she nice! My teacher was in her video.” said my new car lover friend.

“What’s your teacher’s name?”

To protect the identity of the teacher who I unsurprisingly knew very well, we’ll end the story here.

I talked more with the young men about school and extracurricular activities and encouraged them to stay on their creative grind. Although, my point in sharing this story is that while it may be scary to engage with young people who may seemingly look suspicious, remind yourself that they are someone’s child, that they dress the way they do because of the culture, and that they are still human. The point is also that I want to see their generation not just live, but thrive, and I want to support them in doing so. As a mother, activist, teacher, and New Orleans native it feels natural and like my duty to speak up to them and for them, all of our youth. That one experience could’ve turned into a cancelled trip, had I been fearful of what I thought I saw. Instead, I chose courage. I chose protection over our children. Our community and culture.

We are in charge of our own safety in justice for our families and communities, where we take up space, receive and give back to. It’s much less of “small acts of kindness” and more of repairing the village. In little ways, each day, there are opportunities and moments that turn into them, where we can extend our hearts and wisdom to what the world may see as danger.