Spokane Black Voices - The trickle-down effect of legacy
An African proverb from Madagascar says, “Cross the river in a crowd and the crocodile will not eat you.” A community combines its strengths and becomes an indomitable force.
Legacy is created when a community expresses persistence against an issue as a collective. Past legacies have been an advantage given to people of the present to inspire ambition and change. One consistent factor in legacies is a group of people putting aside their differences to share mutual goals.
Legacy recognizes that many came before us who fought vigorously for us to have a better tomorrow. The world we see around us has been decided by people of the past. Martin Luther King, Jr., defied people’s non-belief in him and managed to win the hearts of many, bringing comprehensive change to America. King was once an average person but gained significance through his voice and how he chose to use it. His example shows us that words have power, and words can dictate legacy.
Touch the hearts and minds of those closest to you and move united toward one goal. People do better when they are together, people are much easier to control alone. Write a legacy with the people who have affected you positively. You are meant to connect with others and create with them. Empathy is your greatest weapon; to change the minds of those who oppose you, you must first learn who they are.
You have already made a difference in the lives of those around you. Did you make a positive impact on their life? The echoes that take the form of consequences still affect the present and will eternally. The world you see around you today was spoken, created and put into existence by people you will never know. This world is our home, and it is our responsibility to do our part in making the world a better place as a collective. You have been given a vessel to experience life to its fullest. Capitalize on the body you have been given to transform the world around you. After your life, your actions will be affecting the world in ways you cannot imagine now.
Will your legacy stand as proof that the impossible is possible? If you feel discouraged, there will be someone to uplift you and ignite vehemence within you to fight for a future. In a culture that encourages individualism, tune into the voices of those who have supplied warmth and consolation from an early age. We are a lineage, and we should aim to protect our community from those who do not have our best interests in mind. We all hope for a better world. The best way to create a better world is through action, listening and communicating.
Community is the essence of legacy, as our loved ones are our greatest inspiration for making the world better. Lead as a community, because there is strength in coordinated power. Legacy is everlasting when this happens.