"Stay Woke" and "Mighty Times"

                                       It Takes Children To Be Heard

After watching two powerful videos "Stay Woke" and "Mighty Times"  my eyes  opened and I saw the strength of our youths that I have never seen before.

In 1963 it wasn't the older activist that changed segregation in Birmingham Alabama.  It was kids.

Today young people, with the same strong will, are the voice to aid in social change.

I can sit here and write about all that has been and still is wrong in the black community.  A repeat of history that has been going on for about 400 years. Yes, black lives do matter. They have suffered and fought long enough and it is time that the world woke up and showed respect and equality.  

What I do want to talk about is how are youth from the past to present rose up and through radio, twitter ans Facebook to spread the word and make a stand for civil rights.  Today in my blog we are looking at the power of kids with the help of the power of communication.

In 1963 the adults were afraid to stand up because they were afraid of loosing their jobs, houses, and cars.  The kids in Birmingham would listen on the radio what was going on and soon began stating that they wanted their freedom and wanted to be involved.  This meant the possibility of being thrown in jail.  The children stood tall and said they didn't care and still wanted to do this.  In the 1960's there wasn't social media, the children listened to the radio.  Reverend Martin Luther King called Reverend James Bevel who then reached out to an outspoken DJ who had challenge the KKK in the past as well as other DJs to help draw more children to join the movement and increase the numbers.  The DJs would use code words to signal the kids to prepare them to march.  One phrase they used was "bring your toothbrush".  This meant that you might be spending the night in jail so be ready.  At 11am the kids walked out of school and marched.  

                             

Through the days of the protest the kids never gave up and actually made it look like they were having fun. No matter what they faced they never gave up.  Kids were coming from everywhere.  There was a nonstop parade of them.  Through communication from the radio, kids came from out of town because they heard the codes and wanted to be there. They just kept coming and coming and coming. When you thought there were no more kids, more came, singing and happy to get arrested.  Because of the bravery of these kids, integration was agreed upon.

This leads me to the second video "Stay Woke".  In the past kids would hear or pass information by word of mouth. In the present kids are now "plugged in and driving the conversation".  Kids are now videotaping or taking pictures and posting it on social media as it is happening.  This changed the conversation throughout the nation and extended the reach of the activist by letting them know where the protest was as well as a minute by minute update. These kids showed the same bravery and stamina as the kids did in 1963.  The newer black activist wanted their voice heard through defiance and took it out of the hands of the older black civil rights leaders.  They stated that they were going to stand up, and were not going home.  

The young protesters kept coming out every day until there were changes.  Through social media they got the word out and formed a large powerful group to get their voice heard and fight for their civil rights.  The outcome was a milestone and the police got violations on the 1st, 4th, and 14th amendment as well violations to the Federal Civil Rights Law.  All I have to say to our youth is to never lose your voice and always stand your ground. These are the ones who are going to create hope and make change.