by Dr. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, Center Partner
Who do you trust? That’s the first question on the table for conversation today.
I, like so many Americans, am still processing after this weekend’s turn of political events. Those who have been following me know that I do not spend a lot of time musing about political issues, not because I don’t think they are important or because I am afraid to speak out publicly.
On the contrary, I understand who I am and what my specific role, work, and contributions are to societal uplift. When I can make change, support, or add value, I do that in private and public ways. When some other person is better suited to address issues, then I become a student and direct my communities towards those voices and their work. The latter is what I mostly do regarding political issues because it is not my primary work, and I am not someone who spends her daily life consuming political commentary.
However, there are times when I do feel prompted to lend my voice to a national conversation. This is one of those times, so I trust that you will hear me out.
Let’s address the first things, so you understand where I am coming from, and because context matters. I am a Black girl from Orangeburg, SC, a small rural town that has its historic place in the Civil Rights Movement. One of my aunts was among the first to stand in line so Black people would have the right to vote in our county. I graduated from the Naval Academy, served six years as an officer in the Marine Corps, and several more at the Department of Homeland Security. I have devoted nearly 15 years of my adult life in preparation and service to country. All my higher levels degrees include character development and leadership research. My dissertation included a historical and social analysis of the narratives and controlling images that negatively impact the lives of Black women. Throughout my life, I’ve been shaped by the education, faith, mentorship, and the support of Black women. I’m clear concerning my life’s purpose and calling, who I serve, what I must ultimately account for, and to whom at the end of each day. I am a follower of Jesus, and I’ve been an active participant in the church for my entire life, and most of that time has been in the Black church. I am an educated Black, Christian woman from the south.
When President Biden announced yesterday that he would not accept the Democratic nomination and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the next President of the United States, there was a sigh of relief for some and a heightened anxiety for others. I checked my social media feed briefly to get a pulse of people’s initial reactions. New York Times bestselling author and Black woman, Austin Channing Brown, wrote, “I can’t afford to live in a world of uninterrogated positivity.”
Trust me, I understand the weariness of the Black woman’s existence in America. I have some knowledge of what this road could mean for Vice President Harris, for Black Women in America, and for the rest of us as citizens, so let this awareness be the foundation of what I hope will become an ongoing conversation.
Spiritually, I start by saying that God is not on the side of either of our political parties. Citizens vote to select candidates the best that they know how, with the information that is given, and the choices that are available. God is creator of the universe, king of this world, remains on the throne and in full control either way. I believe that so, I am not anxious. I am, however, motivated. I am motivated because I read the whole Bible, and as a result, I have found truth in a few things:
· Human hearts are fickle, and we are easily deceived. Intentionality and sober mindedness takes more work.
· We should all be leary of powerful people who lack accountability. Just because someone, an institution or organization (yes, even the church) has more money, power, respect, or platform does not make them right.
· It was the religious people who demanded a king, so God gave them one. The same people group rejected Jesus and accepted the convicted criminal in his place. Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.
Here are some facts: if Vice President Harris becomes the Democratic candidate, we will have a former prosecutor going against a convicted felon and someone who has already been impeached twice. (I recently visited the National Museum of American History with my daughter, and former President Trump is in the special impeachment session.)
The founding fathers didn’t write about either “thing” because they never conceived of “them” ever happening. It was inconceivable that the United States of America would elect someone to its highest office after they were declared an impeached, convicted criminal. Additionally, it never occurred to them that a woman, let alone a Black woman would become President of the United States. This county was not built for someone like Vice President Harris to lead it.
There is much conversation about our living in unprecedented times. The precedent for President of the United States is that the position is reserved for white men with power (normally accumulated through land ownership and/or slave labor, both of which were stolen). Yet throughout the course of our country’s history, it is Black women who have cared for the land, reared our country’s leaders, sustained movements, communities, restricted violence, educated, nursed, cleaned, cooked, and preserved Black dignity in this country. (I’m not saying that Black men or other people haven’t contributed to these efforts; however, I’m focusing on the work and contributions of Black women in today’s post.)
If there is any precedent that I want us to reestablish, it’s the ethical or character leadership and standards expected of our public citizens. Like most of you, I do not know either Vice President Harris or former President Trump personally, so I cannot and do not vouch for them. I can only respond to what I see in the public arena. Vice President Harris is an African and Asian American woman, and child of immigrant parents, who were themselves in an intercultural marriage. She has sustained a marriage to her white, Jewish husband, Douglass Emhoff for approximately a decade. So, when she talks about diversity, the value is something that she has embodied. Her education and work experience have caused her to rise to the top, meaning that she is not just good enough, but she is more likely significantly better than her professional colleagues. She is qualified for the job. I do not know her religious convictions. We do not align on all political issues. As a Christian, I do not expect her to serve my interests. I expect her to do the best job that she can to serve the best collective interests of all citizens of the United States, and to represent our country and lead with integrity on the global stage. I trust her to try to do that good, necessary, and hard work.
When completing my dissertation, I begin reading a book written by former White House correspondent, April Ryan, entitled, Black Women Will Save the World: An Anthem. While there is good, affirming information within the pages of this book, I do not believe that Black women will save the world. As an author, I understand the importance of having a good, catchy title. The reality is that salvation of the world is too much of a burden to bear and is not a realistic expectation to have. And again, I’m going to ride with Jesus on the salvation business.
I don’t know if America will be saved or if democracy as we know it, can be saved. We too quickly forget that we live in a young country after all. No earthly empire lasts forever, and this empire is not named in the Book of Revelations. All great empires fall. The American experiment and our version of democracy is just that, an experiment that we continue to test and try, and hopefully improve upon it so we can sustain it for the better. While Vice President Harris and Black women cannot save this country, history has shown that Black women have and will fight for the best that this country has to offer. Thank you, Stacey Abrams! As written in my essay, “A Black Woman at War: Battling for God and a nation’s people,” I’ve taken the oath of office for this fight, and as a U.S. Marine, I will always fight so long as there is a country to support.
I am an American. However, I have long sense grown comfortable with understanding that I am a sojourner, alien, or foreigner in this land that is not my forever home, so I am under no illusion about what is possible or required to save it. I trust God. As stated near the end of my essay, I have pledged my alliance to God’s kingdom and purpose, and that requires a commitment to seeking good, acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8). I will vote for my neighbors come November.
It is hard to believe that 181 weeks ago I shared an Instagram Live about Vice President Kamala Harris during Black History Month, and 206 weeks ago in an Instagram Live about trusting Black Women in Leadership. (The latter is prophetic, and in it, I highlight the historic rise of Kamala Harris to the office of Vice President.) I made the statement then, that as a country, we do not trust women with power, and certainly not Black women.
When dialoging with a Black woman friend today, she wrote, “We can’t just be good enough to save the union. We are good enough to run it too.” So, I will close by restating something that I said on Instagram the first time around: “Over the course of this country’s history, we have easily trusted white male leadership on both sides when they have not had our best interests at heart.” We do not make them earn our trust (even when we disagree), yet we hold women, especially Black, Indigenous Women of Color (BIWOC) to a higher standard.
So, the question that I raise again and will continue to raise in the coming months is, “Do you? Do we, as a country, trust Black women?” And if your answer to the question is, “Yes,” then my next question is, “Then, what are you going to do about it?”
This article first appeared on July 22, 2024 on A Sista’s Journey Substack.
The CenterFJP is an interdenominational ministry cultivating the character of individuals, churches, and communities necessary to pursue peace through kingdom justice in the manner of Jesus. We are non-partisan and do not endorse or oppose political candidates. We do concern ourselves with human dignity and in that spirit offer a trusted partner’s hard earned reflections.