Getting Involved with Activism: Lessons from Jesse Jackson's Legacy

The Life and Impact of Jesse Jackson: A Nostalgic Look Back

In case you needed a synopsis about Rev. Jackson's claim to fame:

The Early Days: Jesse Jackson’s Journey from Civil Rights Marcher to National Leader.

  - Overcoming Adversity: His Role in Breaking Barriers for African American Political Participation.

  - Building Inclusive Coalitions: How Jackson United Diverse Communities Around Shared Causes.

Key Achievements That Changed the Course of Activism.

  - The Rainbow PUSH Coalition: A Model for Uniting Activists Across Issues.

  - Presidential Campaigns: Expanding the Conversation on Racial and Social Justice in America.

What Jesse Jackson Meant to My Generation: An Inspirational Symbol of Courage and Hope.

With the incredible passing of Jesse Jackson, a lot of thoughts have been running through my mind about how we're running out of our originators of the call to action. It brought a question to my mind: how do you become an activist? In the day of my parents being children, it was everywhere. It was the civil rights movement. It was activists on every front, on women's rights, on Black people's rights. It wasn't so much about LGBTQ yet, but they were there as well. Religious battles were going on; there was so much to take a stand on and rally together and make a difference.

One thing I love about other countries compared to the United States is that people actually make change. In France, they will march outside Parliament gates, and in the UK, do the same, camp out overnight, just so their voice can be heard. In South America, they definitely take to the streets in the capital, and the issue is so big that whoever's in charge has to make some kind of resolution or movement to appease the people.

And that's how constituents feel as though their government gives them agency, you know, the people's government. It's why so many countries have a free people's movement or a free people's candidate in their presidential races. Why must we prescribe to a majority two party system, Democrat and Republican? Other governments have Democratic, Republican, The People's Movement, and there are so many other different factions representing different causes, different peoples, and different communities. And I feel as though we're losing that, the people. But what restored my hope was paying attention to this up coming generation, the Gen Z and the Gen A. These kids are different.

Yes, they're still being kids, laughing, joking, getting in trouble, and all that stuff as we did, but they are also concerned and highly informed (we can thank the internet for that one) about what's going on around them. My two sons, complete jokesters, take the current events going on, and they joke about them, if I hear one more Netanyahu joke... He's habitually the butt of their jokes. And when I was their age, I wasn't doing that. I had no clue unless my mom told me, which she did. My mom didn't know it, but she was a breeding ground for activism in my little sister and me. And to this day, that's our crux, in our minds, we are super heroes of the people from the people. We feel like we always have to defend the marginalized. We always have to improve someone else. It brings us joy when other people are succeeding, and it induces elation.

Why Activism Still Matters: Lessons from Jesse Jackson’s Work

Understanding the Power of Persistent Activism.

- Change Doesn’t Happen Overnight: The Importance of Long-term Commitment.

- Grassroots Organizing as a Foundation for Transformative Movements.

The Role of Intersectionality in Modern Activism.

- Recognizing the Overlapping Struggles of Race, Class, and Gender.

- How Jesse Jackson’s Approach Encourages Coalitional Politics Today.

The Necessity of Speaking Out, Even When It’s Uncomfortable.

- Using Our Voices to Challenge Injustice.

- Embracing the Risks That Come with Leading Change.

How Parents/Anyone Can Encourage Activism in Their Families

So when I had my children, my goal was not to have successful children, beautiful children, and I thank God for all those things that have manifested since I didn't ask for them, but it was to raise two activists. That was my essential goal. And how I did that was to constantly put them in situations where they didn't see every day. When every day is normal, you start to think, "This is the way of life. This is what everyone is doing." That mentality is very commercial, not activism. My sons and I would do things like go to church under the bridge with people whom were homeless. Our church was big on volunteerism. Once a month, they would have service underneath the bridge in front of the police station, and the mentally ill and the homeless would come. I took my children, and they enjoyed it. They got comfortable with seeing abnormality. So my kids have always had a soft spot for the homeless and destitute. They're not afraid of "different".

If there was a child with special needs, I would try to link them up with my children. And in doing so, my children have such great patience and empathy. I remember teachers in elementary school would write me notes home and let me know, "Hey, your son took to a kid in a class who was new, and he has a disability, and your child takes the time to explain things to them." And that right there made my heart swell. It was like,

"Okay, you're doing something right."

Current events, I always sit and talk to my kids. Like, the passing of Jesse Jackson, I asked, "Hey, guys, did you know this man just passed?" And they were like, "Oh, the Black History Month guy." I asked, "What do you mean, the Black History Month guy?" But while sitting down for dinner, they were on their phones, and normally we don't bring our phones out when we're at the dining room table. But I allowed it this time because I peeked over my son's shoulder, my oldest was looking up the accomplishments of Jesse Jackson and spouting facts and thought were cool. The only fact that I told them about Rev. Jackson was his role as a civil rights leader. He was there with Dr. King, Bayard Rustin, Fred Hampton, and Dr. Huey P. Newton. I mentioned Rev. Jackson's run for presidency, being the only Black man to run before President Obama. I guess that was intriguing enough for him to say, "Let me check this dude out," right?

My children are my muse of how I want the world to be. So I've always kept that in mind interacting with them, be it finding interest in the things they have interest , whether it did not interest me at all. They felt understood and heard, they became very forth coming to me, sometimes to my detriment. Some things I wish they would keep to themselves. To this day, before they leave home, they hug and kiss me, "Mom, I love you. Have a good day." As soon as they come home from school, they bust down my office door to tell me current events of the high school, 'cause you know that's important, and their reactions and their friend groups .I love it. I absolutely love it. They don't care about kissing and hugging me out in public around their friends. I have audibly heard them say, "Such and such isn't like you, Mom," or, "Their parents aren't like you, Mom," or even, "I can do this with you, Mom, but I can't do it with Dad He doesn't get us."

I love how these guys have turned out. And in a year, I'm gonna lose one of them to college. And I'm gonna be really hurt when he leaves and sad. I have to focus on the positive things. The activist I raised is going somewhere else to push the cause, to push agendas, ideas. So in telling you all of this, how does one become an activist, okay?

Something doesn't always have to be going wrong for you to stand up for or speak for the marginalized or the underprivileged. But for most cases, that's how it starts. But put yourself or whomever you're trying to impart this ideology on, put them in unfamiliar situations.

You've lived in the suburbs all your life. Go to the inner city. Not just go there, but go there at night, 'cause that's when most things happen. I'm not saying put yourself in danger, but see what happens down there. See how people live at that time of day in the inner city. Volunteer. Volunteer at dog shelters. That will teach you empathy. Volunteer at nursing homes. You can learn a lot from the elderly. And I'm not saying do it for months and months upon time, but just once a month, you pop in and you can help pass out food, something as simple as that.

What else can you do? Attend someone else's church of another denomination different than yours. Or if you're Black, go to a church that's predominantly White on Sunday. If you're White, go to a predominantly Black church. Here's one even better: go to a church that isn't in your language. Yeah. Travel.

I cannot put enough emphasis on the impact travel has on your intellect, and your emotions. It's amazing how much of a teaching tool travel can be. If you feel you don't have the funds for it, save for that one trip you take. It doesn't have to be international, even though that's where the bigger experience comes from. Let's say you're from DC. Take a trip to Florida. It's a different culture. It's a melting pot different from the melting pot of DC. Come to Texas, close to the border, see what's going on. Put yourself in places where you know people are going through something, right? That could be the border of Canada and North America. At the border of California and Texas, unfortunately, there are detention centers filled with orphans, and they can really use the help. They really can.

See what it's like to be stripped from your family and on the cusp of not knowing what your future is going to hold, that you may be placed somewhere you've never been before or somewhere you don't even speak the language, right? Expose yourself. Intentionally expose yourself. The news is very biased, but what I can tell you is this website called Ground News. And what it does is it pulls the news from every source, and it lets you know if this is more to the right or more to the left. It's the most unbiased website I've ever been on.. It brings together BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera. It puts it all in one place and lets you decide who you wanna believe. It even shows you which news is reporting it and which news is not reporting it. And that's big.

You can also schedule a ride with police officers. You can sit in the court and listen to other people's circumstances. As long as you're in there and quiet, they have no problems with that. You can sit and watch. That might be a good mechanism if you have a trouble child. But yes, these are just some small ways that you can impart activism in your life or to someone else that you think would benefit from it. And everyone's not meant to be an activist. We all have our roles in life, and even this is a role. So don't make yourself be something that you're not comfortable with. But if you are up for the chance, the opportunity, the thrill, and being known for something outside of what you do every day, activism is the best way to do it.

Peace be with you,

Fallon