This last column in 2015 is dedicated to my incarcerated brothers and sisters across the country. I had always known the significance of the Amsterdam News as the oldest Black-owned newspaper in the country, but I had no idea of its national reach. For the past 51 weeks I have written this column, each week I have received letters from citizens currently doing time in various facilities across the country. I want to let you all know that I receive your letters, I thank you for your thoughtful and engaging analyses of my columns, I recognize you and I appreciate you taking the time to express your thoughts and concerns.
This is my last column in 2015. I have had a year with incredible high points (trying new things, pushing myself professionally and achieving tenure at my university). I have also had some pretty low moments: losing loved ones, witnessing those I love grieve in the process and realizing that this country seems to have made a declarative statement about the value of a Black life. As I prepare for the New Year of course many people have asked me what my new year’s resolutions will be in 2016. I have decided that instead of focusing on subtracting bad habits from my life—which I will surely work on doing—instead I will focus on adding more positive things to my life.
This was a year where many of us began to “connect the dots.” We could no longer ignore the realities of police brutality, mass incarceration, racial and economic inequities, terrorism both international and domestic, and wars both across the globe and in our own backyards. So for 2016, I am resolving to “stay woke.” Whether it be in my own community, when evaluating presidential candidates, when deciding whether to donate to local election, and when allocating my tim,. I am going to take stock as to how I actually spend my time before complaining about how busy I am. Instead of thinking about St. Peter’s question at the end of my life—“What have you done that I should let you in?”—I will begin to focus on whether I can answer that question at the end of each day. Flipping through the pages of the Amsterdam News is a clear indication that we can build our communities and enrich our lives and the lives of others without necessarily having riches.
Happy 2016, dear readers, I look forward to discussing the presidential primaries, our mayor’s third year in office, the future of American cities, our global communities and our brothers and sisters who need our voices. And to my incarcerated community, know that there are scores of people reading this important newspaper who are trying to do more. Stay blessed and thank you for embarking on this journey with me in 2015.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University and the author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream.” You can find her on Twitter @Dr_CMGreer.
