"This is the second time I've seen Dr. Harrell-Levy speak and everyone needs to hear this clip from her speech bc I didn't get the full speech....Saturday, she said she was speaking as a citizen deeply impacted, personally concerned and wanting to do something for her community that makes a meaningful difference. "I think it is absolutely our moral and civic responsibility to build social justice programs in every school in this country, starting from elementary school on the way up," she said. "In addition to these conversations, we need to talk about racial trauma. I think we need to acknowledge that the youth are hurting and they need more support than just us standing here giving speeches. They need us to be on the ground teaching them how to survive in predominantly white environments that are unfortunately all too often hostile, insensitive, culturally dangerous and racist."

She said she personally knew of women of color who were pushed out of their places of employment after being brought in as tokens. She said she knows of many who look like her who have to go to therapy to survive their jobs and their lives. "That is unacceptable," Harrell-Levy said. "I'm here not only fighting for my future, I'm fighting for my daughter's," she added. "I'm not just fighting for my daughter's, I'm fighting for your daughters, I'm fighting for our sons. I'm fighting for everybody in this world who wants something better than what we've been given."

She said people are tired of conversations. "I have friends who can't run in their community without worrying that dogs won't be sicced on them," she said. "That's a problem and we need to do something about it now."
Harrell-Levy told the audience to continue the work. "Don't just show up today is what I'm saying," she said. "Educate yourselves, liberate yourselves ... There's work to be done. There is work to be done."

                                                                                                                       Amy Acq (July 14, 2020)