Freedom for the Jena 6

As many of you know, I attended my first march/protest this past Thursday in Jena, Louisiana. The story of the “Jena 6” and the resulting protests, and rallys are everywhere and I’m certain that if you don’t know what’s going on down there, you’ll “google” “Jena six” or click on the following link to find out the details. Please remember that it’s difficult to link to an article because links are often outdated as details change or are confirmed, etc.

Jena Six


Thanks for your support and prayers as my sister and I took this journey. We did our best to make you proud. I want to take some time to focus on some of the things that I learned along this amazing, over 48 hour round trip bus ride into the deep deep south where the most ugly face of racial injustice is quite apparent… not at all hush hush as most of us are used to.

We boarded the bus at 5 am on Wednesday September 19, 2007. All were represented… every one from 6 to 81 years of age, every race, every religion. ALL were represented within the two busses that traveled together. (A total of about 15 busses traveled down to Jena from Philadelphia; however our bus traveled the entire trip with one other companion bus.)

Though we were all so different, we had one very important trait in common. We had no idea the immense impact that this impending journey would have on our lives, our way of thinking, and our way of viewing and perceiving this thing called activism.

In short, we were seeking to show our support for the “Jena 6”, a group of young men being accused of things so ridiculous and in such a matter, that most people actually let out a slight (albeit disgusted) chuckle when listening to the accusations and details of the case. It’s unreal to think that a 16 year old could be charged and convicted in an adult courtroom for attempted murder with a tennis shoe after participating in nothing more than a high school fist fight. Yet this has happened, and those on the trip felt it our duty to fight for, support, and show love for these young men and their families during this time.

Some expected that we’d have Mychal Bell, the only young man still being held in prison, freed by the end of Thursday. Freedom for Bell and the remaining 5 young men was our mission. Our goal… our purpose.

Though Freedom did not prevail, the energy and momentum that was generated from this journey was so extreme that we could feel and smell it in the air. Touch and taste it in our conversations with the local black folk that thanked us over and over and over again, claiming that they needed our presence and support.

In our supposed loss situation, we actually came out on top. In relationships, in energy and attitude. In ideas and faith. In hope, in fire, in determination and in understanding that this is the beginning of something great; we all gained.

No sense can be made of a town that lives decades behind its time. A town in which blacks are not held to the same standards as whites in a court of law. A town in which high school children (and yes people, no matter how grown we think we are at 15 or 16, we are absolutely and without doubt, still children) are forced to participate in a separate but certainly not equal, lifestyle… And it is in fact so ridiculous and gives one such a headache in trying to make sense of it, that it has ignited a fight in the 10s of thousands of people who journeyed down to show the nation… the world… that we can unite. We can organize. We can act civil and peaceful in demanding respect. And make no mistake about this. Respect will be demanded from here on out. In 2007, there is no room for a town like Jena. A town that takes away the lives of our black children in an attempt to rid the nation of our race. It stops right now.

Many of these wonderful people that we traveled with are already meeting and planning our next steps. The most important lesson learned during this trip was that the struggle is not over. It is very much real, present, and frightening. If we do not fight to end the racism, and injustice in this country, we will lose. I for one will not lose something that I have not at least fought for.

I’ll post more information about what you can personally do to help with the fight for the “Jena 6”. Please do not take the attitude that you as one lone individual have no influence. You alone have all the power that thousands together have. As I’ve mentioned before, You MUST stand up for what you believe in. no matter what it is. If you don’t, you CAN NOT expect anyone else to stand up for you.

In Jena and now after, I feel certain that I, as one, can and will make an impact. Every protestor that attended the march in Jena is one person on their own. However, together, we flooded the streets of that town… proving that we are a unit that will not stand for others to control our future.

For now, peace people.

P.S. MELLOW IS COMING!
Details soon.