MADE NOW
This could be considered the overarching
mantra of 2016, as young people on college
campuses like the University of Missouri,
and in urban centers all across the country
took to the streets in 2016 in attempts to
make their voices heard with respect to
racist incidents, police harassment and the
unwarranted use of deadly force against African
American victims, among myriad other issues
germane to them—and to all Americans.
Even Black Lives Matter, once an untethered
national network of black liberation organizations which was established in 2012—and the
banner under which youth protests and violence
were carried out in many cities over those years
minus any unified agenda, objective or coordination—began to take steps beyond a hashtag,
and to actually resemble a movement. BLM
finally developed and announced a platform in
2016, for the first time listing a slate of specific
demands, and professional, collegiate and high
school athl etes alike took a stand on the issue
of race by kneeling during their games’ playing
of the national anthem—though none reportedly went as far as to refuse to play. Black girls’
lives also mattered a bit more, too, this year,
with the quiet release of 21 of the 270 Chibook
boarding school girls to Nigerian government
authorities by the militant group, Boko Haram.
The story regrettably failed to garner the degree
of international attention that it did when they
were forcibly taken by the soldiers in 2014,
sparking the celeb-driven #BringBackOurGirls
campaign and similar efforts.
4. TRANSITIONS. Noteworthy African Americans from the realms of the arts, sports and
social justice sadly departed this life in 2016,
with the untimely passing of superstar musician,
singer-songwriter, producer, bandleader and actor Prince, who died April 21st; three-time world
heavyweight boxing champion and outspoken
activist Muhammad Ali, who died June 23rd and
political activist-businesswoman Afeni Shakur,
mother of late, legendary Hip-Hop performer
Tupac Shakur, who transitioned May 2nd. May
their souls rest in peace.
5. OLYMPIC-SIZED PERFORMANCES.
The 2016 Olympics, held in
Rio de Janeiro Brazil, was
predicted by some smug
Western media organizations
as a looming failure for the
so-called “third-world” country. But
Brazil proved its naysayers wrong and staged a
scintillating, unique and unforgettable production. The colorful backdrop was a much-deserved world stage for several luminary African
American athletes who defied stereotypes, and
excelled in an array of what are considered
non-traditional sports for them. Simone Biles
became a household name from coast to coast,
winning four gold medals in gymnastics; Simone
Manuel won gold and silver medals in swimming; Michele Carter earned the gold medal for
shot-put, Claressa Shields won gold in boxing
and Daryl Homer was awarded a silver medal
in fencing, all black American firsts. And the
U.S. women’s track & field team, represented
by Allyson Felix, Kristi Castlin, Nia Ali, Dalilah
Muhammad and Brianna Rollins? Well, they just
took everything…gold, silver and bronze.
6. OPENING THE DOOR TO CUBA.
President Obama visited the island nation of
Cuba in 2016, in a long-awaited move to shore
up relations that have been strained for more
than 50 years. While there, Obama announced a
coming end to America’s decades-old economic
sanctions, opening the door to trade, travel and
tourism with the U.S. and signaling a dramatic
shift in foreign policy toward the nation. Hopefully, with leaders from both countries expressing a commitment to the future, the move also
foreshadows a reversal of Cuba’s human rights
policies and ultimately improves the day-to-day
lives of Cubans.
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