Friday, March 24, 2023

The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows racism has no boundaries -Rayshawn Ray Thursday, March 3, 2022

 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “

undisguised terror,” as described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a matter of days, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands are displaced, and hundreds of thousands are aiming to flee to border countries that accept refugees. Newborn babies are being placed in underground bunkers and men over the age of 18 are barred from leaving and asked instead to pick up arms and fight. There are images of courageous women staying in Ukraine to do the same.

The United States and many other countries have instituted severe economic sanctions to try to deter Russia’s offensive military tactics. And yet, Vladimir Putin seems set on trying to reclaim Ukrainian land through strong military force. At his first State of the Union address, President Biden enhanced sanctions by “closing off American airspace to all Russian flights.” The economic impacts on the Russian economy will be far-reaching and the human impacts will be generational.

So far, Russia does not seem deterred by the sanctions. Videos of the brutality are painful to watch. And the images of people trying to flee battle-stricken areas and cross the Ukrainian border into other countries further highlight the stain and peril of human survival. This journey has proved to be particularly challenging for Black people who, even during a life-and-death situation, have found themselves running into racist barriers to their safety and freedom.

There are many reports of Black people being refused at border crossings in favor of white Ukrainians, leaving them stuck at borders for days in brutal conditions. Ukraine stated they would first allow women and children on trains and transport out of the country to flee the Russian invasion. However, it seems they meant Ukrainian and European women and children. Videos show Black people being pushed off trains and Black drivers being reprimanded and stalled by Ukrainians as they try to flee. There are even reports of animals being allowed on trains before Africans.

Black students and athletes are not exempt from these racial barriers. Professional Ukrainian basketball player, Maurice Creek, who is originally from Maryland and played college basketball for Indiana University and George Washington University, was stuck in a bomb shelter in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. He is headed for Romania to try and get a flight to the United States. Ukrainian medical student, Korrine Sky, who is from Zimbabwe and lives in Great Britain, stated that trying to leave Ukraine is like “Squid Games” with Ukrainians and Europeans at the top of the hierarchy, people from India and the Middle East in the middle, and Africans at the bottom. Though Sky’s perspective is disturbing, there is relevant history that people may not know.

Africans attending schools in what is now Ukraine date back to the 1920s, and the Soviet Union (now Russia) started formally recruiting Africans to attend college and professional schools in 1957. Not a coincidence, 1957 was the year that Ghana gained its independence from Great Britain. The Soviet Union wanted to try and build more positive relations with African countries and showcase to the world their growing diplomacy. When Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, scholarships to African students substantially decreased. However, African students still found schools in the area appealing. Today, over 16,000 African people are studying in Ukraine, accounting for more than 20% of Ukraine’s international students.

Though the pathway to a visa in Ukraine and less expensive education costs are appealing to African students, economic depressions in southeastern Europe resulted in the rise of anti-immigrant prejudices and racial discrimination against Africans. Following a series of race-related murders of Africans in 2007, Ukraine passed anti-racism legislation. Hate crimes decreased to a certain extent. Still, Africans report regular occurrences of racial prejudice and name-calling (like “monkey”).

Comments made by Ukrainian officials and journalists covering the conflict reveal this deep-seated racial bias. In describing the traumatic impact of the Russian invasion to the BBC, Ukraine’s former deputy general prosecutor David Sakvarelidze stated: “It is really emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blond hair being killed, children being killed every day with Putin’s missiles.” Al Jazeera English news anchor, Peter Dobbie, described people in Ukraine who were fleeing to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova: “We are playing some of the latest pictures of refugees on trains trying to get on trains or get out of Ukraine. And what’s compelling is just looking at them the way they are dressed. These are prosperous, middle-class people. These are obviously not refugees trying to get away from areas in the Middle East that are still in a big state of war. These are not people trying to get away from areas in North Africa. They look like any European family that you would live next door to.” On CBS News, senior correspondent Charlie D’Agata reporting from Kyiv stated: “With all due respect, this not a place like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European, I have to choose those words carefully too, city where you wouldn’t expect that or hope that it’s not going to happen. So it’s partly human nature…”

“European” has become a code word for white and a justification of the primary reason that people should care about the conflict, displacement, and killing. Bloody conflicts in Syria, Somalia, and other places have not received the wide-reaching international media coverage—or urgent international government action—that the invasion of Ukraine has inspired. This is not surprising. We simply have to look to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and which groups of people, communities, and countries have had equitable access to testing, treatment, and vaccination. Much like how the history of African enslavement in the United States still haunts our country in many ways, the legacy of African colonization in Europe is still surfacing, even amid a war that threatens the very existence of an entire country.

As the United States and the world offer their support to Ukraine in their fight for freedom, we cannot abandon the equitable deployment of civil and human rights. All people, regardless of race or nationality, must be equally allowed access to cross borders to safety. As we pray and hope for an end to the Russian invasion, I hope we realize there is much work to do during peacetime to ensure that everyone has equitable access to the same civil rights and dignity during conflict. We should care about the humanity and lives of people regardless of their race, ethnic origin, nationality, education, or social class background.

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Documentary focuses on longtime hearth of Black Community of Thomasville, Ga. Courtesy of timesenterprise.com

 


THOMASVILLE — From the early 1900s through the 1970s, the 200 and 300 blocks of West Jackson Street, known locally as The Bottom, were the heart of Thomasville’s African American community. 

On Friday, June 11, as part of the continuing effort to honor this historic district, the City of Thomasville will premiere “The Bottom: Stores and Stories of West Jackson Street,” a documentary that provides history, memories, and reflection of the district through the eyes and hearts of members of the Thomasville community.

“The documentary tells the story of the important role that the district played in the lives of Thomasville’s African American community,” said Sherri Cain, public outreach manager. “The Bottom was home to African American doctors’ offices, entertainment venues, eateries, barbershops, and many other businesses that still live in the hearts of our African American community.”

According to the documentary’s producer Austin Reams, programming and ad sales manager for CNSNext, viewers will hear memories and experiences from community members whose lives were impacted by the district. 

“What makes this tribute special is the voices of our community members,” said Reams. “A variety of citizens, such as Carolyn Henry, Jack Hadley, Elizabeth Elzy, Nate Tyler, and others share their memories of times they spent in The Bottom. From watching movies at the Ritz Theater to eating at the Tasty Shop, their memories reflect on a time when The Bottom held a real sense of community for local African American residents.”

At its peak, West Jackson Street was a mix of African American, Greek American, and Jewish-owned businesses that all came together to form a caring community. 

“The conversations we had with those interviewed painted the picture of the close-knit community that made The Bottom a special place,” Reams said. “African American citizens felt as if they not only had families at home but that many other adults looked out for them in The Bottom. It was these life experiences that formed the vision we had for this documentary.”

The Creative District Vision Plan was developed in 2014 through an extensive public engagement process. From this initial plan, three important projects were developed including The Ritz Amphitheater and Park, the Community Trail trailhead, and the West Jackson Streetscape Project. 

“One of the most important elements requested in the design of the streetscape was to highlight the history of the district,” said Christy Owens, Main Street and Events manager. 

“The first phase of commemorating the history of the district came in 2018 when the Thomasville City Council voted to officially name this business district as The Bottom and the amphitheater and park after The Ritz Theater, which was the entertainment venue for African Americans for many years,” said Owens. “We are honored to continue to pay tribute to this historic district while fulfilling the public’s desire of highlighting the cultural significance of The Bottom.”

“Sidewalk plaques to honor the notable businesses of the area have been installed in the 300 block of West Jackson Street, and plans for a commemorative wall and storyboards at the amphitheater are in the works. Honoring the historical significance of The Bottom was an important part of the West Jackson Streetscape project,” added Owens.

“We need the help of our community in order to complete phase two of the streetscape project,” said Cain. “While working with the Thomasville History Center and the Jack Hadley Black History Museum, we realized that we need more photos and oral history of the area. We have created a page on our website, Thomasville.org, where citizens can submit their memories and any photos they may have of The Bottom. In particular, we need photos of the Ritz Theater.”

The free premiere of the documentary and a panel discussion will be held on Friday, June 11 at 8:30 p.m. at The Ritz Amphitheater located at 131 South Stevens St. The community is encouraged to attend with their friends and family. It will also air on CNSNext Channel 6 and will be available for viewing on Thomasville.org, the City’s Facebook page, and the CNSNext Facebook page.

Source: Thomasville Times-Enterprise

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