Purposeful Silence

Devin Harvin, CommonBondz Board Member

As I completed my Critical Race Theory course this semester, during my final class, I paused and tried to remember the mindset I entered the classroom with. The conversations we had over the 14 week semester challenged me at times, angered me more than once, and inspired each of my classmates to write extensively about race. In all honesty I found it exhausting. I do not doubt the importance, nor neglect my role in the movement for Black lives, but I was mentally exhausted by the end of the semester. The stress of law school also adds to it, but thinking critically about race for two hours every week is hard work. It requires persistence and vulnerability. Classmates cried, feelings were hurt, and there were many moments of silence. I think I appreciated the silence most.

As individuals we are almost always surrounded by noise, so much so that silence seems weird, it can scare us at times. When we think about social justice, silence can almost be seen as enemy. If you are not loud enough, the majority cannot hear you. Or if its silent, people have moved on. I agree with both of those statements, but only when the silence is not purposeful. You see in the classroom, silence is a time to reflect, to “think critically.” Most importantly, when you break silence, it should be for something important. This summer will mark two years since we saw protest erupt across the country and support be seen from across the globe. One could argue that since then, there has been silence. Moreover, they could assert that the world has moved on.

While there may be merit to those assertions, my hope is that, (if there has been a silence), this silence has been purposeful. That following the protest and demonstrations, the country has been purposeful in their silence. Whether that is through education, volunteering, or any other means, during this period of silence, I hope you have taken steps to get better. That you have taken concrete action to gain a better understanding of the African American experience in this country. Or that you have contributed your funds to causes and organizations committed to work; that you challenged yourself academically to learn about institutional or structural racism.

My hope is that you did not waste the silence, that you did not return to the comfort you once had and interpreted the silence as an ending. Because, when the silence is broken, everyone’s voice will be needed.

To learn more about Critical Race Theory, watch our CommonBondz Speaker Series event on the topic here.