LOCAL WOMEN OF

Local Women of Color Inspire Change Addressing Racism Within Our Community

by Meredith Montgomery

Photo by Julio Baeza

Ashanti Ash Driving Change in Fairhope’s Next Generation “No matter how much praise I receive or how many accolades I collect, some people will never be able to see beyond the color of my skin,” said Ashanti Ash as class president in her graduation speech at Fairhope High School, earlier this summer.

Growing up with little diversity in Fairhope and as a student in the gifted and advanced placement programs, Ash shared classes with very few other black students. “It taught me a lot of patience but I enjoyed educating everyone around me.” Ash co-founded the Black Student Union to bring awareness to Fairhope’s African American community. With meetings at the high school and speaking engagements along the Eastern Shore, the group encourages conversations between different races and explains issues such as cultural appropriation and systemic racism. “We aren’t hostile, we’re just trying to educate as many people as possible and we want to keep black culture vibrant,” she says. “I’m seen as an anomaly in Fairhope, so when people saw me as an articulate black girl I’d sometimes get back-handed compliments like, ‘You speak so well,’ and I’d internalize that as a child.” In her speech she spoke about how every time an unarmed black person is killed, she fears that it could have been her uncle, her cousin, her father or even herself. “I wasn’t sure how people would react, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I was humanizing the cause and it did a lot for Fairhope wanting to do something and for new conversations to be started.” She acknowledges that while police brutality is not a large issue in Fairhope, the community has been sitting on a lot of racially-charged tensions. The national attention on racism coupled with her speech has motivated more people to take action, allowing the movement to gain momentum.

Unique Dunston Unifying Voices in Northern Alabama Unique Dunston’s school-age years also lacked diversity. In the northern Alabama town of Albertville, she was the only African American girl in her 2015 graduating class. She too was a top student and says she fit in well because she was involved in everything. “I believed what everyone there believed and I said what they said… until I moved to Mobile [to go to college] and I was like, wow, there’s so much black culture and history that I’ve missed out on,” she says. Years ago when Dunston first got involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, she drifted apart from many of her Albertville friends. “I don’t want to be friends with people that don’t support me. We didn’t know

the conversations that needed to be had and they didn’t really listen to me,” she recalls. Dunston, who is now a special education paraprofessional living in Semmes, had an eye-opening experience when she attended the first protest and vigil held for George Floyd in downtown Mobile. Inspired by how well it was organized, she decided to return to her hometown to start her own march and organization, Say Their Names Alabama. “It was silent in Marshall County; people were just carrying on like normal,” she says of her decision to be active beyond Mobile. She connected with the police chief of Albertville, who she’s known for 15 years, having grown up with his daughter, and he agreed to close the streets and provide police protection for her protest. She estimated 150 people would participate, but on June 6, more than 600 people peacefully marched down the same street that the Ku Klux Klan used for rallies in the early ‘70s. The event reconnected Dunston to her once distant friends who are now great allies supporting her work and eager to talk about issues that were once uncomfortable to discuss. One week later, Dunston took her activism to the neighboring Marshall County town of Guntersville to lead the Say Their Names Alabama Juneteenth Celebration. Much of her extended family lives there and the African American population is significantly larger than Albertville’s. Out of the success she had with her first event, Dunston was able to get a permit to close down the state highway that runs through downtown where approximately 300 people joined her for another peaceful protest.

Roslyn Teals Speaking Up for Social Justice Most of the racism Roslyn Teals has experienced has been indirect. “I have been called the ‘N word’ by people driving by; when I have gone to make big purchases I have been given looks that suggest that they think that I can’t afford the item; I have been in line waiting and the person behind the counter has overlooked me,” she says. But she knows many people experience much worse and she worries for her brother, nephews, uncles and cousins. Teals grew up in Southern Georgia as her mother worked in a factory and served people at the train station. Her mother only had an eighth grade education because she had to work in cotton and tobacco fields. Teals’ grandmothers and aunts worked as housekeepers and nannies for white Z

BE A PART OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT

Listen to Learn Listening to people of color is more important than anything, according to Unique Dunston, founder of Say Their Names Alabama. “Listen to understand, don’t listen to respond,” she says. This includes making time to self-educate on topics such as black history and systemic racism. See People of Color Fairhope’s Black Student Union president Ashanti Ash wants everyone to see people as people. “See them, acknowledge their color and their struggle, but it’s all about respecting a fellow person and treating people how you want to be treated.”

Smile and make eye contact with people of color to show they are welcome. Dunston notes that often black people do the same thing to be accepted by white people. “If we don’t smile, then we may be seen as the angry black girl,” she says. Talk About Race Dunston asks her peers to discuss questions such as “How does it make you feel to know that I have a fear of being pulled over by the police even though I am following every rule that there is?”

To provide mutual support and encouragement, Pensacola Activist Roslyn Teals suggests engaging in conversations with people of similar identity about different levels of oppression that occur daily. She also wants parents to explain that some people have more resources available to them than others and that those resources should be used to help others. She says, “Talk about the fact that we are all humans. Teach them love; teach them empathy; teach them to embrace diversity.”

Ash was young when she learned about racism. “It’s never too early to start teaching about our disadvantage. These shouldn’t be uncomfortable conversations; it should be normal to talk about it,” she says. Be an Ally Extend anti-racism efforts beyond social media posts and athome conversations. Speak up when friends and family say something ignorant. “It makes people of color feel more safe and secure,” says Ash. When a white peer made an insensitive comment in Ash’s presence, she felt pressure to speak up but she did not want to cause a scene. “And sometimes you feel exhausted from using your voice all the time. When my friend spoke up so I didn’t have to, it meant so much to me. I’ll never forget that,” she says.

“Make use of your privilege, power and voice to help those who are continuously marginalized, silenced and ignored,” says Teals.

Let black people know that you stand with them and attend peaceful protests to show your support. Teals says, “I’ve seen white people protesting with us and a diverse group supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. That gives me hope.” families. “I understand what it means to be domestic help and to not have many opportunities. My mom wanted more for us and I know the trouble she had—that was the motivation for her kids to finish high school and pursue college degrees,” says Teals, who is an educator in Pensacola. “My degree allows me some privilege.” While searching for an open and affirming church, Teals discovered Open Table, in Mobile. She was drawn to their commitment to causes such as social justice and environmentalism and currently serves on the church council. In 2017, members of Open Table and All Saints Episcopal came together to study Just Mercy, a book by Alabamian Bryan Stevenson. Teals had not previously heard of the book, which broadened her awareness of systemic racism and introduced her to the Poor People’s Campaign (PoorPeoplesCampaign.org). “At times I was the only African American in the room talking about the book, but I was glad that the white men and women in the group were open to read and learn about justice, mercy and grace. It gave me hope that they chose to read that book when they could have chosen any book,” Teals says. The experience helped refuel her interest in the disparities that African Americans face. Teals always had a sense of activism within her, noting that she protested the BP oil spill in 2010, but more recently she seems to be on a mission. She’s spending this month in Houston, where George Floyd is buried, hoping to connect with other activists. When she’s home, she jumps into activism anytime she can. “If I hear about something that impacts me, or my community, or the environment or the disadvantaged, I will participate because I have a voice.”

Change is on the Horizon Dunston is hopeful and proud of the people who have open ears and open minds in America. “I do what I do, I organize and I plan, working late at night for my future kids,” she says. “And I hope and pray that all I’m doing will cause them to never have to protest and march to be equal.” “I believe that big things are going to happen and I want to be a part of it,” says Ash of also being hopeful about the future of our country. In her speech, she emphasized that the time is now, calling her classmates to unify, not to divide. “The most important thing right now is building community—bringing people together in mutual respect and dialogue,” says Teals. For her 57th birthday she didn’t want a card or material gifts, she was headed to a protest. “I’m surrounded by people that are allies. That’s been the best present—to hear ‘I hear you, I stand with you.’ What better way to spend my birthday, than to be protesting for liberty and justice for all?”

This article is the first of Natural Awakenings’ new Diverse Conversations department. Each month we will continue this interracial dialogue about diversity, empathy and inclusion of all people, while spotlighting people of color in our local community. Email us with story ideas: Publisher@HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com.

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