Facet

BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES WON'T SAVE US University prepares us for life. And professor Ruha Benjamin didn't hold back when talking to graduating students in Atlanta, Georgia. She told them: 'Black faces in high places won't save us.' The message being, don't expect your rights to be defended by Black people holding professional, political or economic power. Ruha gives the example of Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US envoy to the United Nations. Yes, the woman who vetoes ceasefires in Gaza. She also aims at Black politicians running the city of Atlanta who support the creation of a 'cop city' and expansion of violent police forces that target Black youth. We might add to her list Black mis-leaders such as Barack Obama, who oversaw US military operations across the African continent. Or maybe US Vice President Kamala Harris, who could be the next president of the United States but supports AFRICOM, Nato and the U.S. military industrial complex that has caused so much pain and suffering to the African continent- ask Somalia and Libya. Ruha's speech is cheered by students at Spelman College, a historically Black institution. She finishes by encouraging them to stand up for what's right despite being labelled 'troublemakers' by authorities. It's a refreshingly honest take on the real world. Is there anyone else you'd add to Ruha's list?