Ella Baker Day: Keynote with Kelli Williams (WGS-Related Event)

For this semester, the Social Justice Club had the honor of partnering with the community for the Ella Baker Day celebration. As a member of the Executive Board, it was rewarding to see my leaders speak in such a foundational role in the civil rights movement. 

Before I talk about the event, I want to give some context on why we celebrate this day and the importance of Coastal's Spadoni apartment when it comes to celebrating Ella Baker. Ella Baker was the "mother of the civil rights movement," though she often worked behind the scenes. She believed that you didn't need a spotlight to be known for change. She was one of the lead people when it came to the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), empowering young people to find their own voices. 

Our keynote speaker was Kelli Williams. Williams has served an entire career dedicated to activism, even running for city council at the age of 25. She delivered a strong speech on the necessity of cultivating hope while fighting for systemic change. She reminded us of Ella Baker's timeless wisdom when it came to funding of the movement, which she states

                                               "Give people light, and they will find their way," 

                                                                                                                          - Ella Baker

Kelli emphasized that true leadership is not about controlling people, but rather about helping people see what is possible. In the face of overwhelming injustice, it is easy to feel defeated, tired, and worn out, but Kelli challenged us to rethink our definition of hope.

How do we cultivate hope while fighting for change? She argued that without action, hope is just a feeling, a passive wish; however, hope paired with action becomes the change and fuel that keeps the movement pushing forward when the road gets rocky. 

During the event, we explored the framework for how movements actually move the needle. Real progress isn't an overnight occurrence, but there are five phases of change, the first being awareness, which starts by identifying the issue/problem and educating the community. Engagement was the second phase, which included asking questions like " What do we do? Engagement can be messy, but it is always informative and needed when wanting that change. The third phase was Protest/Action, which is disrupting the status quo to demand attention. Phase four includes institutional change, in which policies and laws are changing. This phase takes time because we must understand that change does not happen overnight. Lastly, cultural transformation is what happens when the hearts, minds, and daily habits of society change and become permanent. 

Lastly, we talked about "Good Trouble." Initially, I believe she mentioned this was inspired by John Lewis and is an overview of refusing to accept injustice quietly. Being a troublemaker for justice isn't about tearing down what is broken but building solutions. It's the dual work of saying no to oppression and yes to a better way together. 

As a member of the executive board, this event reminded me that our work in Social Justice isn't about hosting meetings but providing that light so our community can find its way toward a more equitable future.