Helping our Black Communities Feel Safe
Donation protected
I am inspired by the Freedom Georgia Initiative, whom will be the recipient of the money received. The Freedom Georgia Initiative
Black people want to be respected. They want to live in a place where they feel safe and enjoy the beauty of a unified community, just as white families do.
I am a white man, born and raised in the Southern United States, primarily Alabama. When I was 5 years old my family went to visit my grandfather. He was 6 foot something with broad, strong shoulders. He was a big man... a demi-god to me. One morning while at his home, I met a little boy, and we became best friends by noon, as only 5-year-olds can do. It was a sweltering hot summer day, humid and sticky, and we clambered onto the front porch, under the shade. I helped my friend into the wooden swing which was hanging by chain link from the ceiling, and in turn, he pulled me up. We sat, unable to rock back and forth, as neither of our feet could touch the floor. I can remember the breeze, even though it was a warm breeze, it was cool to my skin due to the sweat and humidity. I hear the porch screen door creak open and slap shut, and looking over my shoulder, my grandfather approached. I remember the warm sense of pride that filled my soul, feeling eager to introduce my best friend to my grandfather. My two favorite people in the whole world, which on that day was limited to the porch and the yard that sprawled out in front of us. As he approached, my grandfather looked down at my friend with a stern look. He said "boy, what are you doing here. N*****s are not welcome here - get out of here. Go on, get down, and don't come back!" The boy jumped down and ran as fast as I had ever seen someone run. As the boy turned the corner behind the hedge, looking over his shoulder at me, I can recall his dark skin. Until that moment in life, I had not noticed skin colour, nor had I ever heard that 'n' word before, ever in my life. I felt confusion and fear. I felt shame, though at 5, all I knew in that moment was that what had happened did not feel right; my innate sense of humanity and justice screamed out, and if I felt it at 5, I believe that it exists in us all. The transference of my grandfather's hate to me stopped there.
My experience of hate and prejudice is limited to the hate that has been passed down through generations.... this hate is the need of many peoples to have some others that they look down upon, in order to lift themselves up. Though hate and prejudice has found its way, over hundreds of years, into our societal, political, judicial and legislative systems in the form of racism. As a white man, I am privileged and do not experience this systemic racism. Black people do
Black people have tried to tell us, with few listening. Though, despite the few, the majority stamps them out, time and time again, and Blacks simply cannot educate, march, nor scream anymore. Nor should they have to. I have read the stories of Rosewood, Tulsa, Seneca Village - Black, thriving communities destroyed by hate. The broken promises of Ebenezer Creek and Sherman's 40 acres. Enough is enough, there must be and there has to be a different way.
This is why I am inspired to help the Freedom Georgia Initiative. They are working to find a new way.
The Freedom Georgia Initiative is a black-owned, woman-owned, family-owned, veteran-managed, limited liability company organized in Georgia for the social and economic benefit of its members and to support black-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned businesses.
The Freedom Georgia Initiative has started with 19 families buying 96.71 acres of land in Toomsboro, GA for the establishment of a community for environmentally sustainable-living, health & wellness, agricultural & economic development, arts & culture for generations to come. Their aim is to be a premier recreational, educational, and cultural destination for Black families and supporters.
Let's give them and ourselves this dream and vision of a community, where Blacks and their supporters can feel safe and commence building the community that has too often individually and systemically been denied.
Black people want to be respected. They want to live in a place where they feel safe and enjoy the beauty of a unified community, just as white families do.
I am a white man, born and raised in the Southern United States, primarily Alabama. When I was 5 years old my family went to visit my grandfather. He was 6 foot something with broad, strong shoulders. He was a big man... a demi-god to me. One morning while at his home, I met a little boy, and we became best friends by noon, as only 5-year-olds can do. It was a sweltering hot summer day, humid and sticky, and we clambered onto the front porch, under the shade. I helped my friend into the wooden swing which was hanging by chain link from the ceiling, and in turn, he pulled me up. We sat, unable to rock back and forth, as neither of our feet could touch the floor. I can remember the breeze, even though it was a warm breeze, it was cool to my skin due to the sweat and humidity. I hear the porch screen door creak open and slap shut, and looking over my shoulder, my grandfather approached. I remember the warm sense of pride that filled my soul, feeling eager to introduce my best friend to my grandfather. My two favorite people in the whole world, which on that day was limited to the porch and the yard that sprawled out in front of us. As he approached, my grandfather looked down at my friend with a stern look. He said "boy, what are you doing here. N*****s are not welcome here - get out of here. Go on, get down, and don't come back!" The boy jumped down and ran as fast as I had ever seen someone run. As the boy turned the corner behind the hedge, looking over his shoulder at me, I can recall his dark skin. Until that moment in life, I had not noticed skin colour, nor had I ever heard that 'n' word before, ever in my life. I felt confusion and fear. I felt shame, though at 5, all I knew in that moment was that what had happened did not feel right; my innate sense of humanity and justice screamed out, and if I felt it at 5, I believe that it exists in us all. The transference of my grandfather's hate to me stopped there.
My experience of hate and prejudice is limited to the hate that has been passed down through generations.... this hate is the need of many peoples to have some others that they look down upon, in order to lift themselves up. Though hate and prejudice has found its way, over hundreds of years, into our societal, political, judicial and legislative systems in the form of racism. As a white man, I am privileged and do not experience this systemic racism. Black people do
Black people have tried to tell us, with few listening. Though, despite the few, the majority stamps them out, time and time again, and Blacks simply cannot educate, march, nor scream anymore. Nor should they have to. I have read the stories of Rosewood, Tulsa, Seneca Village - Black, thriving communities destroyed by hate. The broken promises of Ebenezer Creek and Sherman's 40 acres. Enough is enough, there must be and there has to be a different way.
This is why I am inspired to help the Freedom Georgia Initiative. They are working to find a new way.
The Freedom Georgia Initiative is a black-owned, woman-owned, family-owned, veteran-managed, limited liability company organized in Georgia for the social and economic benefit of its members and to support black-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned businesses.
The Freedom Georgia Initiative has started with 19 families buying 96.71 acres of land in Toomsboro, GA for the establishment of a community for environmentally sustainable-living, health & wellness, agricultural & economic development, arts & culture for generations to come. Their aim is to be a premier recreational, educational, and cultural destination for Black families and supporters.
Let's give them and ourselves this dream and vision of a community, where Blacks and their supporters can feel safe and commence building the community that has too often individually and systemically been denied.
Organizer
Rod McCurdy
Organizer
Newnan, GA