Mayor Colin Byrd had some advice for how to educate and empower Black boys and men on the subject of race relations in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement in a keynote address he gave on Thursday, October 29.
His address was part of a larger panel discussion entitled, Where Do We Go from Here? A Holistic Approach to Race Relations in the Age of Black Lives Matter, which was sponsored by the Psi Epsilon Omega (PEO) Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha in partnership with the Pearl Elegance Foundation, a non-profit created by PEO to promote charitable engagement in the communities of Bowie, Laurel and Greenbelt.
PEO Chapter President Benita Swindell said the event was aimed at the parents of Black boys, Black men and their children, to help educate youth on race relations and draw them into the conversations surrounding Black Lives Matter.
Byrd’s address began with the discussion of the death of Emmett Till and the similarities he sees with America today, noting that the date of the panel marked a year since the U.S. Justice Department had quietly shut down its investigation into the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
“Sixty-five years later, Black boys and Black men still cannot go into stores without being subjects of intense scrutiny and suspicion,” Byrd said. “Sixty-five years later, we still march because Black Lives Matter.”
Byrd outlined seven things Black boys need as society moves forward. He said they need love in a world filled with hate, discipline, limits, high expectations and parents they can talk to. Byrd continued by stating that the most important needs, and the reason this panel was gathered, were the need for pride, the need for life and the need for the Black community.
“Black boys need to live. It sounds basic, but as we confront the questions and this issue of Black Lives Matter and as we see what’s happening to Black boys and Black men around this country, I must say this plainly, but I must say this with some emphasis: Black boys need to live,” Byrd said.
He added, “Black boys cannot ultimately thrive if they don’t first survive, and Black boys in particular survive only with the support of the Black community.”
Byrd encouraged the Black community to help others, particularly Black boys, by working toward policy changes in the local, state and national governments.
“As we talk about Black Lives Matter, I specifically as an
elected official, as a mayor, I want to emphasize the importance of helping others in the form of public policy,” Byrd said. “It may not be sexy. It may not necessarily be fun. It may not be cool, but public policy can change lives. And in fact, for Black males, public policy can literally save lives.”
For Byrd, policy changes in the form of police reform initiatives are necessary. In Greenbelt, Byrd has proposed the Fair and Just Policing Act of 2020, which addresses banning the use of excessive force and making officer disciplinary records and complaints available to the public.
During his address, Byrd
advocated for required body cameras, statewide standards for use of force and required regular mental and physical health assessments. He also endorsed the repeal of the Maryland Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights and the reform of the Maryland Public Information Act to ensure officers cannot shield their records from the public.
“Where we go from here is instilling the utmost pride in our Black boys,” Byrd said, concluding his address. “Where we go from here is to ensure that Black Lives Matter.”
Byrd’s keynote address and the panel discussion can be viewed at facebook.com/watch/live/?v=796612794241816&ref=watch_permalink.
Julia Arbutus is a University of Maryland graduate student in journalism reporting for the News Review.
