Conversation About Unifying St. Pete Traces Racial Strife

ST. PETERSBURG, FL —Leaders and civil rights activists offered ways to unite St. Pete residents in a community conversation on Monday night at the St. Petersburg Police Department. Part of the conversation included an overview on racial strife in the country.

"Our founding fathers who penned these words did not fully grasp this idea of 'all men'," said the Rev. Dr. Katurah Jenkins-Hall after she read "The Declaration of Independence." Her reading kicked off the virtual event, "We The People: In Order to Form a More Perfect Union," presented by the Tampa Bay Area Muslim Association and The Tampa Bay Community.

The discussion included speakers from varying backgrounds, and it was moderated by Jenny Fessler, associate director of Open Partnership Education Network (OPEN), a community outreach and empowerment program out of University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

The speakers said it is time for everyone in St. Petersburg to work to bridge the gap of community diversity.

The Rev. Dr. Russell Meyer said the coronavirus pandemic has shown that there are additional pandemics affecting residents: systemic racism, global warming and authoritarians.

"These are pandemics that threaten the more perfect union that we look forward to," said Meyer.

The panelists said one way of moving closer to diversity is learning how to think with our heart instead of our minds.

"It feels to me that one of the changes is now one of the possibilities that exists now," said artist Frederick Johnson. "COVID-19 created an opportunity, if for a short period of time, for all of humanity to stop and say, 'Wait, this could happen to me. Wait, I could lose my breath. Wait, I could die.' The whole world is challenged by this one thing and so it slowed us down for this one moment."

Johnson said the pandemic caused everyone to recognize their vulnerability as human beings.

"This has moved us into our homes and into a place of stillness so that eight minutes and forty-six seconds that we watched George Floyd's life be taken touched people that didn't take the time in a different way," said Johnson.

Hall said the coronavirus stopped society long enough to observe everyone else's suffering.

Johnson believes it is possible for humans who grew up learning to hate others to have a change of heart because he experienced such a change.

"If people are given an opportunity to directly be engaged and connected to someone who they have been told false things about then they can have a change of heart," Johnson told Patch. "I grew up in New Jersey, but as a teenager was involved in some pretentious battles and fights with kids in communities that weren't mine, where black and white fought. And there were opportunities that brought us together to where we had to discuss why we hated each other, and it was because of something we were taught."

What can be done to change American culture?

Suggestions from the panelists include:

• Imam Yahya Abdullah suggested that all human beings practice something kind daily, and that will ripple effect into change and love.
• All human beings have to unlearn the ignorance and hate they were taught.
• "To see and feel humanity, honor and see you as I see myself," said Johnson. "If the heart doesn't change, nothing changes. The heart has more power than systemic changes. It's not about blame but truth and understanding."
• These changes do not happen overnight in the human heart. It involves an effort to stop jumping to judgement and to make friendships with different cultures. Stop allowing fear have control.
• Have curiosity and reconnect with others.
• Have mutual respect.
• Start having courageous conversations moving beyond superficiality.
• Listen to others views and experiences without feeling threatened.
• Stop finger pointing and blaming.
• Agree to disagree without being disrespectful.