Sankofa discusses ways to honor King

After a day of education, reflection and celebration, members of the Black Action Society met… After a day of education, reflection and celebration, members of the Black Action Society met for an intimate roundtable discussion on the implications and accomplishments of the group’s activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Sankofa, which means “go back and fetch it,” was intended to recap the efforts of BAS to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a more community-oriented event and to discuss the broader issues of race relations in the world and the role of individuals in the struggle for equality.

BAS’ activities for the day included an educational coloring project with local school children, conflict resolution workshops, a symbolic march around the Cathedral lawn that ceased at four separate locations for discussions on Dr. King’s own marches, and a viewing of the documentary film “At The River I Stand.”

While the theme of the discussion was initially intended to focus on the idea of black leadership in America’s communities, the conversation quickly evolved into a multifaceted exploration on the implication of subconscious racism, the need for individual action and mass mobilization and the evolution of the national perception of racism in America.

A common theme throughout the discussion was the need for education among the masses. Rev. Miles Adams, a Pittsburgh native who sat in on the Sankofa, said that he felt many people think racism is not their problem.

” We are all sick,” he said. ” It is an American problem.”

He added that he felt it was important for popular mobilization to occur in the fight against racism, and that the American perception of racism not existing would have to change.

“Our country was born in racism, and if we are not careful it will die in racism,” he said.

Charis Jones, a sophomore and member of the BAS Steering Committee, summed up the main points of the Sankofa at its conclusion.

“We need to educate our youth and talk about things as individuals,” she said. “We need to remember that things such as racism and classism hurt us all. All cultures have a responsibility, and we need to start thinking broader.”