Emphasis on cross-struggle organizing, sustainability, and building a critical mass for a new political era

All the facilitators in each of the subsequent workshops immediately began addressing fundamental strategies for the movement, urging cross-struggle organizing, and urging people to build movements that leave no one group behind in this new and complex era of racial politics.  But the ongoing question at the conference seems to be about whether or not the movement will be able to continue to survive in this revived ‘colorblind’ climate.  Strategies are all well and good when discussed in fancy hotel conference rooms, but can the Facing Race conference inspire and motivate these leaders to go out and build real momentum against this seemingly monumental wave of “Post-Race” dialogue? 

 The general excitement of being at this great conference seems to mask the underlying anxiety of these questions.  The workshops thus far have all been wonderful at breaking down and deconstructing the problems we face, and there have been some solid strategies put forth.  But whether or not the activists here internalize these strategies and turn them into a brand new movement has yet to be seen.  There is a certain buzz in the air, though, spurred by the recent victory of President-Elect Obama and the thrill of a new era of progress.  I guess we’ll have to see what tomorrow brings to know whether or not the Facing Race conference will inspire a new era of activism. 

Balancing on this precipice, it would seem that Asian Pacific Americans are poised to make an appearance onto the national stage in a big, big way.  It is without hesitation that I say that any new racial justice strategy must include the voices and presence of all the groups previously left out of the black-white binary of yesteryear.  Without them, we will lose the battle against the new “Post-Racial” mindset.  Which means multiple things:  Not only must the racial justice movement strive to include these voices, but APA’s must also step forward to join this new movement en masse.  It is time for us to arrive, and our arrival, along with the arrival of Latino-Americans, Middle-Eastern-Americans, and Native Americans, is what will keep this movement alive.