10 Ways Black People Can Survive Another Four Years Of Trump
And the unexpected silver lining of his presidency
Yesterday, Robert Reich wrote a piece about 10 ways to survive the next four years of Donald Trump. He makes some good points but forgets that Black and white people do not live in the same America. Black people experience America very differently than white people. They are more likely to be killed by law enforcement, wrongly imprisoned or not given the same opportunities to be successful. For this reason, I’ve decided to share 10 ways in which Black people can survive four years of Trump.
- Have your mobile phone or a video recording device on you at all times to be able to document your interactions. Whenever in doubt, record, record, record. In Trump‘s racist America, white people in positions of authority, i.e. law enforcement, are emboldened to enact violence on our Black bodies. If we cannot prove these acts of racism, we will be accused of playing the race card or pushing Black victimhood and as a result will be denied justice. Be ready to prove that you were singled out or hurt because of the color of your skin.
2. Always be aware of your surroundings. The minute you leave your home, be aware about where you are at all times. Teach your children to do the same. Be acutely aware of the power dynamic in any situation. If you’re on a deserted road and run into white law enforcement , do exactly as they say. Learn to suppress your ego. Do not make any sudden movements, do not fight and beg for your life if you have too.
3. Take self-defense classes and be fit. Get your license to carry and in the event that you must defend yourself or your loved ones, don’t hesitate. And if you can, record all the proof you can as to why.
4. Invest, buy from and champion Black-owned businesses. For generations, Black people have been exploited in America. So much so that apart from a few of us, Tyler Perry, Oprah and the Carters, we have been unable to build generational wealth. We must invest in each other and build each other up. This helps us create safe spaces where we can relax. For example a Black-owned restaurant, gym, shop or school. Let us build each others wealth because by doing that, we don’t need to rely on white people for our livelihoods.
5. If you have children, put them in Black-owned schools or home school them. Help them build their identities. Teach them their history, give them a sense of pride about how much Black people contribute to building America. Don’t put them in white schools were they will be taught a fake and misguided version of history that tells them that “slavery” didn’t exist or was a “good thing”. If you do have to send them to a predominantly white school, make sure they aren’t being bullied by white children or aren’t being marginalized. Send your older children to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
6. In two years, there will be the mid-term elections. With all that Trump is doing so early on – the enforcement of tariffs that will increase the price of groceries to rolling back Medicare and Medicaid for millions of Americans, people will start realizing at that point that he fooled them. Right now, Black people should be identifying leaders to run in these mid-term elections. It’s important to get them out there into communities talking to people about how to restore the rights and freedoms that Trump will dismantle over the next two years.
7. Build community wherever you are. If you connect with other Black, and brown people and antiracist white people, it will be easier to make it through the next four years. Don’t try to do it alone. The IT companies are in Trump‘s pocket and will gleefully amplify his messages via their algorithms. It’s a stressful time for many of us so instead of spending time alone in front of our screens, we must prioritize time with other human beings and build connections. This will help our mental health.
8. Following enslavement and the Jim Crow era, Black people built communities with the little resources they had. Places like Black Wall Street were happy and prosperous until the Tulsa Race Massacre where white supremacists burned down everything we had built. An America that is rolling back our civil rights and protections will become a hostile place for Black people. What we need to do is build communities like Black Wall Street all over the country, places where can thrive and feel safe. To avoid a repeat of history, we need to make sure that these places are heavily protected.
9. Throughout time, the Jewish and also the Chinese people have been discriminated against. They decided a long time ago to not put their wealth into the banking institutions of the very people that abused and oppressed them: white people. Black people should do the same. We should build our own global banks and interest free loan systems like these groups have.
10. As a Black person in America, there’s a high chance that your ancestors were kidnapped and brought to this country. A DNA test will prove that you come from Africa and you‘ll be eligible for citizenship in many African counties including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Sierra Leone to name a few. Africa is rich in natural resources and is a land of opportunity. You don’t need to put up with Trump’s nonsense, you can go there and live a racism-free, and fulfilling life. Don’t believe the racist narratives about Africa that say it is a poor, disease ridden continent. Go there yourself and build your opinion.
There are many more ways for Black people to make it through the next four years. While at times it may feel daunting, my perspective is that it’s important to look at the good sides in every situation. If four years of Trump helps us build stronger and safe spaces where we can build our livelihoods and generational wealth, that isn’t such a bad thing. It’s about time we did that, about time we put an end to this toxic relationship with people who stole our ancestors, forced us to labor their plantations and dehumanized us. As per Michelle Obama‘s book “Becoming“, I would say that it is about time that we “Become”.
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