The hits just keep on coming. How’s everybody doing? How are you taking care of yourself and your loved ones? Keep breathing. We’re all in this together. You are absolutely not alone.
One evening last week, my daughter, her friend and I went to see a documentary about the history of the Seattle Black Panthers. It was actually a 30 minute clip of a larger and still developing work by filmmaker Rick Dupree, who was at the screening. Elmer Dixon was also in attendance. Elmer and his brother Aaron co-founded the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party. Elmer was just 17 years old at the time. The film featured commentary from many of the party members and stories about how the Black Panthers impacted Seattle. For example, they created multiple health clinics that are still around today, such as the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center, named for a party member who died at 27 from cancer, and the Country Doctor Community Clinic. Alongside other chapters, they ran the Children’s Free Breakfast Program, which fed hungry children in cities across the country. They also formed Our Police Patrol, which sent armed teams into the streets to deter and intervene in situations with police that could be dangerous for black lives. They carried law books on these patrols. When lawmakers attempted to deny them their Second Amendment rights, they protested by standing, rifles in hand, on the steps of the capitol building in Olympia.
We were able to speak with Elmer briefly during a break when he was signing books. He is a powerful presence with a gentle affability. He listened to my daughter’s ideas and encouraged her activism. During the post-screening discussion, Elmer emphasized that the Black Panthers were about liberation for everyone. They were also under routine threat of violence and death. Still, they held the line with unflinching resolve. That grit and determination in the ugly face of threat moved me. Elmer was angry but also seemed unfazed by our current state of chaos. In some respects, the climate now is not dissimilar to what the Black Panthers experienced in the 60’s and 70’s. And lessons from the Black Panther playbook can be applied. As Elmer spoke, I felt a rush of optimism and, strangely, comfort. We’re damn fortunate for this blueprint, and all of us-especially white people- should be deeply grateful for the Black Panther Party and the wisdom we can glean from their work.
Afterward, we went to my favorite taco joint for a bite to eat and a spirited discussion. It was good to hear their perspectives – as trans women‑ on what we’d just experienced. They shared their survival mindset. The challenges of this moment are not anything new to them. They’re tough girls because they’ve always had to be. As a mother, keeping my children from harm is an intensely visceral drive. I’m determined to protect my daughter (and her friends) during this crisis. I reiterated this to her at dinner. It elicited a chuckle from both of them. She cheerfully informed me that when anyone has come for her in the past, it usually hasn’t ended well for them. In the snap of that moment, I had an epiphany: She is a tough girl. And this empowers her. I will continue to fight to protect her–physically and politically–but she’s formidable on her own. Who knows? There may come a day when she needs to protect me.
This documentary drove home the importance of fortifying our respective communities. This will be key to our survival. The Black Panthers went door-to-door in their communities. They asked people about their pain points and responded accordingly. I’ve been thinking about that a lot. With a federal government that is increasingly hostile toward its populace, I can envision the steady chipping away of infrastructure. I’m trying to learn more about mutual aid. With the madness accelerating, now is the time to gather our people and start those conversations about potential pain points to come.
Before sitting down to write this, I took a walk. I’ve been agitated today and unfocused. I needed a moment to reset. On the walk, I thought about the resolve of the Black Panther Party and about the ferocity of my two favorite tough girls. Ferocious resolve. That is something to aspire to.
Toward the end of the program the other night, Elmer asked if there were any children in the room and, if so, for their parents to cover their ears. He then let out a hearty, “Fuck Donald Trump!” I can’t think of a better battle cry than that. Let’s go.
