In Last Month’s Point of View, Mr. Frederick Hurst wrote an editorial that ignited controversy, consternation, and conversation. The controversy centered around his use of racial tropes to describe Black men in our community. The consternation hinged on the belief that the editorial further bruised an already wounded community. The controversy and consternation yielded a dramatic backlash, a threatened boycott, and a plethora of mixed emotions. As a result, our community engaged in a much-needed conversation. As I listened, two significant questions disturbed my conscience:

1. What’s the difference between Black
   Communicators and Black Leaders?
   Communicators are often public-facing emperors with no clothes, and de facto leaders. Communicators are often charismatic and have a following. We tolerate their antics and give them deference because they are public-facing; however, we suffer from their lack of follow-through, depth, and vision that surpasses their persona. We often confuse Black Communicators as leaders.
   What does it mean to be a Black Leader? Leaders take into consideration the good of the community and organization. Leaders lead from a place that elevates conversation, builds bridges, and promotes the well-being of our broader community. Leaders exalt a vision large enough to encompass the next generation. Leaders are more concerned with the idea being advanced than getting the credit.
   The perception is that we suffer from pangs of Black Communicators masquerading as leaders. However, our beloved community is blessed with Black Leaders who are official and unofficial, established and emerging, well-known and in the background, as they serve to uplift and build a vibrant city. The Truth is that Black leaders need to hold communicators accountable and speak Truth to the power structure that hamstrings our community. The Truth is that our institutions (Churches, Civil Rights Organizations, etc.) are shrinking, and with it the influence and infrastructure our community once relied on. The Truth is that new powerbrokers and emerging leaders are bypassing our traditional institutions and creating new ones.
2. What is our inflection point?
   ● A Campaign to Elect the First
   Black Mayor
   ● 31 Homicides
   (at the time of my writing)
   ● Economic Inequities
   ● Food Insecurity
   ● _ (fill in the blank)

What issue or opportunity could rally to advance our diverse Black community? Rather than striving for unity, we should strive to unite for a common cause. The former (Unity) is an utopia, and the latter (Unite) is necessary. When we fail to unite, we become apathetic and indifferent, accepting the scraps versus demanding what is due. The Truth is that when we unite for a common cause, we can use low voter turnout to our advantage and motivate friends and family to win an election; we can build coalitions between our organizations to quell violence; we can pool resources together to improve and demand a better economy; we can use our vacant lots and rooftops as urban farms to address food insecurity. When we unite, we create roundtables to share ideas, information on resources, and partner with existing programs. We collaborate to do business, to advance our agenda, and to further our cause.
What if we reimagined our collective power? What if we abandoned the call for utopic unity in favor of concrete issues and opportunities to unite our community? The Truth is that reimagining requires leadership and intentional partnerships.
When the Truth hurts, we adjust, we partner, we unite. ■