#OnHoldAtHome with Rafiya
“Anything positive? Yes. An awakening. Then, some equity. Then, equality.”
What are your fears and/or concerns right now?
Race war. Unemployment. Fascism. Being woefully unprepared for the zombie apocalypse resulting from COVID-19 long-term effects. I’m also worried that workers won’t take the incredible leverage they have right now and strike. Even though a workforce on strike is a terrible inconvenience to me, I recognize it as a necessary step to reclaiming worker’s rights. Much like the spread of ‘Rona is a necessary risk for BLM protesters. Gotta start sometime, and the wait for a more convenient point could be a long one.
What have you learned from living this new normal?
I’ve learned that I had been putting aside my own needs and desires. I had traded passion for stability, and was risking my sanity to have my bills paid. It’s not the life I wanted, and not one that anyone should be forced to live. I think that many people are learning this, and the rich and their piggies are getting scared.
How has the pandemic raised awareness of racial and social inequality?
I think we need to burn it all down. Whether it’s white-owned, black-owned… whatever. If it operates in a system of capitalism and oppression, it can’t serve us moving forward. If we have to sacrifice a false sense of peace in order to attain equity and harmony, then burn it all. There can be no peace where entire groups of people are degraded and abused. When folks are poor, sick, and being told that no relief will come, and they are being murdered by the cops, or greedy employers who will risk their lives for corporate gains… yeah. You’re gonna see some push back.
Do you think anything positive will come from all of this?
Probably. But I don’t think it’ll happen in my lifetime. The older folks need to let the young ones know that this fight may last a generation and they may need to give up their comforts. We speak from privilege when we say protests should be peaceful. Other people in other places are oppressed to the point where a peaceful option doesn’t even exist for them. So, anything positive? Yes. An awakening. Then, some equity. Then, equality.
READ THE STORIES
Click on any of the images below to learn more about what's on the minds of fellow Richmonders. From the pandemic to protests, our community has traveled through months of uncertainty, introspection and reflection. Sharing stories gives us an opportunity to learn, connect and grow with one another in the hopes of cultivating a more compassionate, open-minded and empathetic city to live in.
