What is the end game? The disconnect between white protestors and black organizers in Seattle
Western Barricade at the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct.
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As protests continue in Seattle, we find that although White people are protesting, many do not know the actual specific issues that will improve the lives of Black people locally. We also find that outreach by Black organizations to White protestors is minimal. In other words, there is a disconnect. At a time where Seattle's Black population is shrinking, it needs well-informed advocacy.
So far the Western Barricade on Capitol Hill is currently the only sustained daily major protest in Seattle. I will be honest, every day hundreds and hundreds of White protestors, gather and protest the police for hours on end. When you ask most of the protestors there what they want City Hall to do, they cannot tell you specifics like the handover of Fire Station 6 to Africatown like K. Wyking Garrett is asking for or what is the exact dollar amount that Nikitta Oliver wants SPD defunded. What they do know is that they just want Black people to be okay. They want to see fairness and equity, they want to see a better Seattle and for those reasons, they protest daily. The white protestors on Capitol Hill are totally content leaving the seat at the table downtown to you, the Black organizations as they should. They know that only you can best negotiate for what will best impact Black people in this city.
Black Organizations
Black organizations I don’t see you there at the Western Barricade supporting the protestors or supporting mutual aid. You might be thinking, “O, that is their job in this movement, they are there so we don’t have to be”. Well here is why you might want to actually make your presence known on the ground.
Currently, there are several other Black organizers on the ground daily that I have never ever seen or heard of before telling protestors that they represent the leadership of Seattle’s Black community and others saying they represent various politicians and are espousing an ideology that is counter to everything that I know about the struggle that the Black community has encountered or is working towards here in Seattle. There are Black organizers out there telling the White protestors that the only thing all Black people in Seattle want is to “start a dialog” with the city and that a dialog is a great first step. These are also the same Black people wanting to convince protestors to “take a knee”. Many of these people are the same people that are constantly trying to reduce the numbers of people at the Western Barricade by splitting the protestors up and leading them away from Capitol Hill.
I do not see you on the ground visible at Western Barricade. I don’t see any of you setting up tables with your literature or information on your agenda points or educating the protestors on what else they can do to further your cause beyond just protesting. I will be honest, your ground game is lacking and because of that, you have left a vacuum for those whose agenda is counter to actual measurable and sustainable change that is overdue for Seattle’s Black community.
White Protestors
I personally see you out protesting on the daily. So many of you are the same people I ate the tear gas and pepper spray with or got hit with the rubber bullets right alongside me. When I speak with most of you and ask you what you want to happen you say things like you want justice and equality for Black people and that to you Black Lives really do Matter. However, just like I called the Black Organizations out for being absent from Capitol Hill, I am now challenging you to learn more about the specific issues that Black people in Seattle want to be addressed. Protesting without knowing what success looks like on the street level can be reckless and ultimately could lead to your time and efforts being wasted.
As for me
This was a story I never intended to end up in the middle of but somehow nonetheless I am here so I guess at this point I have earned the right to put in my two cents worth of advice but instead of telling you to “Share the Stream!” or that it’s “Getting Funky'', I am telling you to step it up and get it together out there. This isn't that hard. If your goal is actual political power in Seattle that will have a benefit to Black people then you both need to actually work together in a real way more than chanting and marching and get on the same page in a coordinated effort around demands and deliverables. Learn the local issues that will actually impact your Black neighbors and friends locally and on the other side be present, support mutual aid, and ensure that your message is not being co-opted because believe me they are out there, Seattle.
Here is one link that I can share that has a clear agenda as to what some Black people in Seattle want to achieve. I am not endorsing it, I am just sharing it: King County Equity Now.
Black Organizations, if you have your agenda send it to me so I can share it - Omari@WhereWeConverge.com
