As the events of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others have unfolded across our nation, I have struggled with finding the words to speak.
The pain I feel pales in comparison to the anguish my black friends and colleagues have felt their entire lives. I don't deserve this platform I've been given to speak truth to racial inequity, but I understand the deep responsibility I have, both as a privileged white person, and as a person in a C-Suite role, to make a difference. In order to effectuate significant change, we must get comfortable with the uncomfortable conversations.
After being contacted by an outside group with violent intentions, Anthoney McCamey, protest organizer in Scottsboro, Alabama, cancelled protests out of concern for his fellow citizens. Now, Anthony has partnered with City Leaders at all levels and races to join in prayer for his neighbors, community & country. Photo from Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.” Because of the color of my white skin, my understanding of how implicit bias hinders black men, women, and families across our region is shallow at best. I deeply seek to better understand. I deeply seek to learn. I deeply seek to listen.
Protesters in Dalton, Georgia kneel during a moment of silence at the Whitfield County Courthouse during “The March For Criminal Justice Reform” on Monday. Photo by Jamie Jones for the Daily-Citizen News.
We are an organization rooted in human-centered approaches to responsible growth, frequently calling upon a spirit of togetherness across invisible lines that divide us. With this same spirit, Thrive Regional Partnership stands united with the call for racial equity and justice for people of color across our region and nation. We are not truly “16 STRONG” across our 16-county region without intentionally including the black lives that matter deeply to the places we call home.
As we continue our work, we must look around the tables that we convene and ask, “who’s missing?” We must look around the trails and rivers we explore and ask, “who’s missing?” We must think about the regional transportation issues we are working to solve and ask, “who’s missing?” We must look around our placemaking efforts and ask, “who’s missing?” Then, we must ask, “why?” and roll up our sleeves to resolve any injustices we find.
Sheriff Joe Guy of McMinn County joined youth protesters in demonstration on Monday evening in Athens, Tennessee. Photo from Sherriff Joe Guy's Facebook page.
The first step to change begins within us. Instead of our usual content this week, we pause to reflect on the events of our nation. Below, you’ll find stories and images of communities standing for racial justice across the tri-state region, from Scottsboro, Alabama, to Dalton, Georgia, to Athens, Tennessee. Our staff is educating themselves on systemic racism (we've shared a book list below, if you, like us, are looking for a place to start). As individuals and an organization, we are becoming aware of our role in this issue so that we may understand how we can effectively make change.
Mercedes Gant joins peaceful protests in Fort Payne, Alabama. Photo by Steven Stiefel for the Times Journal.
In deep deference to the magnitude of the issue of systemic racism across this nation, we believe our region can - and desires to - do better. We at Thrive resolve to do better. The voices of color across our region must be heard. We resolve to listen. Together, we must do our part to correct the misguided course of our nation’s 400-year past and resolve to head toward a brighter, more colorful future.
Bridgett Massengill
President/CEO
Cover image: Roderick Ford leads a group of peaceful protesters in Fort Payne, Alabama with phrases like "I Can't Breathe," the last words of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for 9 minutes. Photo by Steven Stiefel for the Times Journal.