Property taxes rise, rents skyrocket, and longtime residents are forced to leave. The goal has always been to prevent generational Black wealth from taking root. But this does not have to be our future. We have the power to break this cycle—if we are willing to act. It begins with knowledge. We must teach our history—not just the suffer- ing, but the strength, the organizing, the resistance. We must educate our children and our communities about how these systems work, how they’ve evolved, and how we can fight them. We must also prioritize building and protecting Black wealth—supporting Black-owned banks and businesses, teaching financial literacy, and keep- ing our dollars circulating within our communities. Political engagement is critical. We must vote in every election, advocate for policies that benefit our communities, and hold elected officials accountable. The system fights our vote because it fears our power. That’s why we can never afford to sit out. And we must take back our story. Black-led media and independent plat- forms are essential in countering the misrepresentations that have plagued our people for centuries. When we control our narrative, we control our future.
Finally, we must strengthen our communities. Unity has always been our greatest weapon. When we support one another, when we refuse to let out- side forces divide us, when we build networks rooted in love, accountability, and shared purpose—we become unstoppable. History only repeats itself when we let it. Our ancestors gave too much, sacrificed too much, fought too hard for us to be stuck in the same cycles. We owe it to them—and to ourselves—to write a different future. We are not powerless. We are powerful beyond measure. The question is: what will we do with that power? Will we allow the past to dictate our future— or will we rise, resist, and rewrite the story? It’s time to stop history from repeating. It’s time to change the ending.
