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Features
Opal Tometi: Co-Founder Of Black Lives Matter Movement Says: ‘There Is No Watching From The Sidelines’
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Opal Tometi, co-founder of activist movement Black Lives Matter, wants to make it clear:
In the battle to save all Black lives, there is no watch- ing from the sidelines.
“You’re either with the movement or you’re not,” she said. “There’s no being neutral in times like this.”
On Monday, a diverse au- dience, young and old, stu- dents and professionals packed Eckerd College’s Fox Hall and listened as Ms. Tometi talked about the ori- gins and mission of the organ- ization she founded in 2012 along with fellow activists Ali- cia Garza and Patrisse Cul- lors.
Her appearance was part of Eckerd’s Spring College Pro- gram Series, a collection of events – including lectures, film screenings, and panel dis- cussion – that are free and open to the public.
Ms. Tometi, who also is the executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immi- gration, opened her speech with a moment of silence for three male Sudanese immi- grants found dead the previous day in a Fort Wayne, Ind. home.
But once the formalities were done, Ms. Tometi dived unapologetically into why the message of Black Lives Matter and the work of its activists – including disrupting political rallies –was necessary.
The organization – a net- work of regional chapters
OPAL TOMETI ...’Black Lives Matter’ co-Founder; guest speaker at Eckerd College
spread throughout the country – started as a response to George Zimmerman’s ac- quittal in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Ms. Tometi said.
As more unarmed Black men were killed – Michael Brown, Eric Garner – the movement has since evolved into a call-to-action to combat violence against the Black community.
“The reason we created Black Lives Matter is because there was a woeful silence sur- rounding the killing of un- armed black people,” she said.
Black Lives Matter grew from a hashtag to full-fledged organization during the riots in Ferguson, Mo. in the wake of Mike Brown’s killing at the hands of a police officer, Ms. Tometi said.
Protestors took their grief to the streets – and asked other activists to join them. Ms. Tometi said she and oth- ers affiliated with Black Lives Matter answered the call.
Ultimately, the movement is about love, Ms. Tometi said.
But to thrive and fulfill its
purpose, Black Lives Matter needs folks – both Black and white – to help it fight and not cheer it along, she said.
“Your beliefs aren’t saving our lives,” she said. “Your thoughts aren’t going to stop injustice. The only thing that can do that is your action.”
The new Black liberation movement of today requires a commitment to protect all Black lives – gay, straight, men and women – and good rid- dance to respectability politics, Ms. Tometi said.
“We’re done with that,” she said. “No matter what you look like...your life still matters and no one can deny that.”
Black Lives Matter is fo- cused on “building a multicul- tural democracy that works for everyone” – which is why some activists have disrupted political rallies, Ms. Tometi said.
To get people in powerful positions to “recognize your humanity,” you have to “kick it up a notch,” she said.
“We engage in what is seen as controversial style of dis- course because we have to force the question,” she said. The current slate of presiden- tial candidates has yet to ac- knowledge the deepest concerns of Black people, meaning they all “still have so much work to do,” she said.
This is a problem with politicians currently in office as well, Ms. Tometi said.
“I don’t think we can vote into office a sheriff that’s going to do away with the way we’re looked at,” she said. “People go into these systems and they conform to those systems.”
Community Job Fair To Be Held At Public Library
BISHOP THOMAS SCOTT Chairman, Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Saturday, March 5th, a Community Job Fair will take place at the Robert W. Saun- ders, Sr., Library, 1505 N. Ne- braska Avenue, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event is open to both males and females ages 18 years and older.
The Community Job Fair is free and open to the public. It will feature major construction and construction-related com- panies who are currently work- ing on the Tampa International Airport Master Plan Projects. The goal of the Community Job Fair is to expose members of the Tampa Bay community to potential employment oppor- tunities with the participating companies.
Companies participating in the Community Job Fair in- clude Austin Commercial, LP, Skanaska, Kimmins, Mit- subishi, and West Tampa Glass Company among others.
The Community Job Fair is being hosted by the Tampa Bay Community Advocacy Commit- tee (TBCAC), in collaboration with Austin Commercial, LP and Ariel Business Group, Inc. In July 2015, the TBCAC hosted a Job Readiness Work- shop that provided a variety of
events to help perspective ap- plicants prepare for the Com- munity Job Fair.
Bishop Thomas Scott, of the Tampa Bay Coalition of Clergy said, “We are excited about this opportunity to both help our community and to work with Austin Commercial LP in this effort to promote and support economic opportuni- ties for the community.”
Simeon Terry, Vice Pres- ident of Diversity Affairs for Austin Commercial LP said, “We continue to be excited about the opportunity to work with TBCAC in an effort to fos- ter and promote economic op- portunities in the Tampa Bay community. We want to ensure that our presence has a positive economic impact in the com- munity.”
The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority selected Austin Commercial LP to de- sign and build the $543 million ConRAC/APM projects. Austin Commercial LP is one of the largest and most diversified builders in the country.
For more information about the Community Job Fair call (813) 812-JOBZ (5629); by email at TampaBayCAC@ gmail.com; or visit the website at www.TampaBayCAC.com.
SIMEON TERRY Vice President of Diversity Affairs, Austin Commercial, LP
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016