We Will Win
Nathaniel Smith, Founder and Chief Equity Officer
Partnership for Southern Equity

American democracy is being attacked by wielders of fear and privilege. Under the new presidential administration, we have witnessed a wanton disregard for the Constitution and the fundamental duties of our government to serve and protect the best interests of all its people. Greed, chaos, and confusion drive executive decision-making without consideration of its impact on the most vulnerable. People are afraid…and for good reason.
Beyond the executive orders seeking to dismantle years of struggle to disrupt historical injustices or align policy with egalitarian values, this week offered a new salvo in the war on justice. Our current administration intends to pause the distribution of federal funds for our most at risk until assurances are made that those funds support the President’s “vision” for America.
Our current political environment is a manifestation of our collective unwillingness to acknowledge how our economic system’s insatiable pursuit of profit, coupled by our national bankruptcy of empathy has eroded our collective spirit and drifted our nation further away from being a more perfect Union. The actions of this new administration are the result of our silence, acquiescence, and complicity with inequity. Some have found solace in the smoke screens of misinformation and false ideologies.
Yet, the question remains, who will we serve in this moment? What are we willing to sacrifice in the name of the Beloved Community?
As a son of the South, I know firsthand what it means to fight for the redemption of our nation’s soul. The stories of their fight to advance equality in Birmingham, Montgomery, Memphis, Jackson, Greensboro, Nashville, and Atlanta (and other unknown places) were shared in homes, churches, synagogues, classrooms, and other spaces where true patriots convened. We recounted how unnamed heroes gave their hearts to a movement whose destination many would never reach. They understood their assignment. In their ears echoed the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice.”
While the new administration works to erase the contributions of Blacks and other people of color from the annals of history, the truth shared by Dr. King rings for eternity. And it is the rock upon which we create a better America for all to prosper in. We must stand up for justice.
In this moment of trauma and uncertainty, we need prayer, we need strategy, we need trust. But most of all we need courage. As the true patriots of our nation, we need to believe a better tomorrow is possible and be willing to fight for it. Our ancestors fought against their oppressors with fewer resources and the possibility of death. Our collective dignity and connection to this struggle must revive our march towards freedom.
At the Partnership for Southern Equity, we stand united with all people who realize love is equity in action. Our courage, faith, and conviction will withstand whatever this administration conceives. We will win because we choose to fight.