Somehow the oppressed always find a way to take a negative experience and turn it into a celebration and victorious moment for unification and progression. And that's precisely what took place immediately after news broke of a woman attempting to criminalize an African-American family having a barbecue at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, all the while turning herself into a hefty damsel in distress upon the arrival of the police force.
The woman's plan to get the family removed and jailed for having a festive group gathering backfired and had turned her into a laughing stock across the internet and all social media platforms. Matter of fact, this woman's attempt to police innocent patrons enjoying themselves turned into a full-blown Bay Area block party with hundreds of citizens in the community of all races showing up to the location to combat the woman's resentment towards, the accused lawbreaker, Onsayo Abram, and his family.
In the video the celebration video, hundreds of people can be seen performing an uncoordinated rendition of the electric slide to Frankie Beverly's classic family gathering and barbecue soundtrack "Before I Let Go." This is the type of unification minority communities need to combat these passive aggressive police phone calls that have been weaponized by the dominant society.
It's rumored that another massive barbecue is scheduled for next Sunday, May 20th that is calling for the black community and their allies to come together and celebrate a union of thoughtfulness and respect. Even in troubled times, we should find a way to come together just like the people of Oakland did this past weekend.
