Real Heroes Do Something, Wherever They Are
Several thousand protestors march on Court Street in downtown Rochester to the Public Safety Building and police headquarters, during a Black Lives Matter rally. (Photo: JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE)
June 4th, 2020
Last week, all over social media, I watched my fellow humans posting their feelings about yet another senseless murder of a black man.
I know that words are not enough to change the world. And I know that there are not enough words to tell the stories of the constant, consistent inequity and injustice that is experienced by the black community. With the platform I have, however, I believe it is incumbent on me to find the right words to express my own outrage, disgust and anger on behalf of my fellow humans who have contributed so much to this world and who are not afforded the same rights or respect.
I know that the only thing that can change the world is how I act and behave in the real world, living according to my values — especially my value of integrity. But some words give me hope.
Words like the recent commencement address given by Admiral William McRaven to the graduates of MIT:
“To save the world, you will have to be men and women of great integrity. Always trying to do what is moral, legal and ethical. It will not be easy and I dare say, you will fail occasionally…And when you fail to uphold your integrity, it should make you sick to your stomach. It should give you sleepless nights. You should be so tortured that you promise yourself never to do it again. You see, being a hero will not be easy. It will not be easy because…you are real heroes. And what makes real heroes are their struggles and their ability to overcome them.”
As I think about what's happening now, I can’t help but think about the real heroes who showed up in the middle of a pandemic to march in protest or to clean our city. Or heroes who have founded organizations that strive to change the world.
I think of one of my heroes, my brother-in-law who lives in Chicago and who for the past 16 years has served on the board of the Urban League. He never posts on Facebook and until recently didn’t have a profile. He’s a man of so few words he actually writes his speeches on a post-it note and prefers to use one letter to text his responses to you because why waste the energy typing the full word when you can figure out for yourself: Y for YES, N for No.
And yet this man of few words is a man of action. Years ago he founded an organization to bring together Jewish business leaders and black business leaders for connection, dialogue and growth. The organization was successful and grew deep connections among the members.
When I told him I wanted to write about him as one of my heroes, he agreed but humbly said, “I don’t feel like a hero.” I told him real heroes don’t call themselves heroes — they just do something. Real heroes don’t just use words — they take action based on their values to change the world.
Last week, as violence erupted blocks away from where we live, I received many texts and calls from my suburban friends, checking in. Some even asked if we would leave the city. Right now it doesn’t matter where you live, in the city or suburbia. Just like the pandemic that rages through our communities, racism is everywhere.
And our response to it must be everywhere.
Because while I call myself a Suburban Outlaw, being an outlaw is not about where you live. It is about who you are. Outlaw leaders are real heroes who want to make an impact. They change the world with who they are, wherever they are.
For real heroes, words matter, actions matter and black lives matter.
First Published in the Democrat and Chronicle and USA Today Network.