Connecting Communities: We Stand Together!

By Annabel Mumba & Estelle Atkinson
Annabel Mumba (left), an AEP beneficiary and high school graduate and now the AEP Donor Relations Coordinator in Zambia, and Estelle Atkinson, an AEP volunteer and Radnor High School graduate in Wayne, PA, co-author their shared perspectives during Black Lives Matter movement peaceful protests.

Does the colour of one’s skin determine the kind of opportunities one will receive or how they will be treated both in society and under the law?

Annabel Mumba and Davy Muzyamba at the peaceful protests at the U.S. Embassy in Zambia.

In recent weeks, we have witnessed, heard or read stories about the ongoing protests on the racial injustice going on in America and other parts of the world. These demonstrations have been sparked by the recent killing of an unarmed black man in Minnesota by Minneapolis police.

The death of George Floyd and other black men and women stormed up protests from many people in different countries including in Zambia. Members of the AEP Team and two AEP college beneficiaries were among the people that took part in the peaceful demonstration outside the U.S. embassy on Sunday, the 7th of June, 2020.

Lumuno Chongo, AEP’s Programs Director, is passionate about advocating for equal rights and opportunities for everyone regardless of their skin colour. She wrote a poem about the racial injustices:

 “I am black, the heart beats as yours, my blood flows as yours. I was born with a different colour, just like some are born, it’s just darker but that is the only difference with yours. How then do you see me as a threat, as inferior to you, how then do you look down on me ,when we are similar but in colour. Is it a crime to be born black, I am human as you not a beast...Let me breathe.”

She had something to say about the overall event, too, and what it meant for her to be in attendance: “It felt great to attend and be part of such a protest. As a black person I felt proud that I can take a stand in a small way and not sit back and only hope for change to come.”

“We keep talking about a greater tomorrow, but it won't come if we don't do anything. I heard a young boy say I am American, too. It broke my heart to hear that such a  young person should shout out in order to be heard that he is an American as well. The conversations about racism should not only be a day, week,or a month of awareness but an everyday talk till we see change.”

She talked about the type of leadership that was at the protest. She described it as an Affiliative style of leadership. “I saw both black and white people gather together for a common goal and cause. For all voices to be heard. It was an emotional, but yet beautiful, event!”

Davy Muzyamba is an AEP beneficiary and a college student studying Midwifery at Chikankata College of Nursing and Midwifery. He was touched by a story of a black man who got shot by a white neighbour because he mistook it to be his apartment. “For me, that broke my  heart because that could have been prevented if only we love and don't discriminate against each other,” he said. He also had this to say, “I personally condemn what happened, being racist does not solve anything, killing each other is not one way of sorting out issues and we also have to understand that we are all equal besides being black or white.” He emphasized about supporting black businesses, “If a black person is doing a business, we need to support him/her equally as the white people.” He stressed about how social media can help people to stay united and grow into one community. He shared his favourite quote, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Zambians marched at the U.S. Embassy in Lusaka to stand in solidarity.

Among the Team members that attended the protest was Annabel Mumba. Annabel is AEP’s Donor Relations Coordinator. She was very impressed about how well organised the event was. She had been following the ongoing protest in America and around the world and this was going to be the first protest that she was going to attend. She talked about how growing up she would watch protests on TV or heard from her friends about people protesting and it would sometimes turn out to be violent and lead to arrest, but was shocked about how peaceful it was and how everyone was good to each other.

“When Madame Lulu called and told me about the peaceful gathering to be held the following day at the U.S. Embassy, I was excited to be standing up for a good cause and hold a poster with the writing “Black Lives Matter,” she said. She had this to say about racism, “I feel that killing someone because of the amount of melanin is horrible. I feel that the colour has nothing to do with humanity and the beauty in someone’s soul. The many stories that I heard and read like Eric Garner and George Floyd broke my heart. I hope that no one should go through what they went through.”

Natasha Mwiya is an AEP beneficiary and a student at Evelyn Hone College studying journalism and public relations. She narrated about how she  was deeply saddened by the news of her brothers and sisters outside Africa not treated fairly, equally and with due respect. She said it made her believe that “pure racism is real.” “Attending the protest yesterday was a great opportunity to interact with people from different races who joined hands to protest.  It gave me relief seeing that a lot are concerned and fighting for justice.” She also talked about how the kind of leadership she witnessed was inspiring in that everyone worked together despite the different colours of their skin.

The protest at the U.S. Embassy is one of thousands spanning countries across the globe. One such protest took place in Wayne, Pennsylvania, where AEP first originated back in 2004. On Thursday, June 4th, members of the community marched seven miles in support of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The peaceful event was organized by the Conestoga High School African American Student Union (AASU) and drew in students from schools all along the Main Line. The energy was high and never once dampened by the heat. Those who marched held signs that honored those who have died at the hands of systematic racism and called out the racism that is prominent, particularly in predominantly white suburbs. 

Students living near the Main Line community in Radnor, PA take part in peaceful protests.

Once the crowd reached its final destination, the rally portion of the event began. It was a shining moment of accountability that has been lacking in the community for decades. The students of the Conestoga AASU took the time to share their heartbreaking experiences of racism within school walls that occurred while many of their peers, teachers, and administrators turned a blind eye. Many signs read out “White Silence is Violence,” and it was clear that white silence was not only an issue in political settings or on social media, but in our cafeterias, at our social events, and in the comforts of our own home. 

The protest and rally attacked the root causes of the issue of systematic racism in communities defined by white privilege in a way that intentionally generated discomfort and rendered the audience of thousands completely silent while the speakers shared their stories. Many emotions were felt by many people; change is born from the issues that affect our hearts and not just our minds.

Estelle Atkinson, a recent graduate of Radnor High School, attended the protest and remarked, “I left not feeling like a better person, because this march was not intended to cleanse the collective white conscience of any responsibility for the racism still prevalent in our society, but with a desperate desire to become a better person. We have all witnessed instances of discrimination in our schools and communities, and many of us have stood by and watched. I feel fortunate that I am surrounded by people who share the same drive to contribute positive change in society, but that doesn't change the fact that racism is insidious in a community defined by white privilege such as the Main Line. The march really showed me that my first battleground as an ally is not at the polls, but in our schools. Thank you again to the Conestoga AASU for organising such a moving event."

Watching people from all walks of life, particularly today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders, stand up and refuse to let these racial injustices continue has been inspiring for the international community. Protests all over the world such as those in Zambia and back in AEP’s sister community in the Main Line have brought people together to amplify black voices and promote positive change in all aspects of public life, whether it be policing, legislation, or cultural or educational reforms. This union, for many, marked the first ever public gathering since quarantine, reminding us all of the beauty of what can happen when people come together for a just cause.

Let us all be friends and fight things like corruption, global warming and injustices.