By E. Faye Williams
(TriceEdneyWire.com) – As we approach the end of one year and the beginning of another, it’s hard to believe that 365 days have passed since January 2012. One thing I can say with complete certainty is that it’s been an eventful year. We’ve had extreme highs and lows, wins and losses, triumphs and tragedies. Through it all, we’re still here and looked to 2013. We can always hope the next year will be better—no matter how bad or good the last one was!
Reflecting on 2012, I say a prayer for friends and families of those who began 2012 with us, but are no longer here to witness 2013. Many have passed on, yet remain in our hearts and have become indelible parts of our memory. I feel privileged to have become fellow travelers with them in our collective journeys through time and space. Among my friends who passed on in 2012, I pay tribute to Congressman Mervyn Dymally, Jesse Hill, Barbara Lett Simmons and Lawrence Guyot and many more that I didn’t know personally, but were meaningful in my life.
Among the highlights of 2012 was the reelection of President Barack Obama. When I heard his keynote address at the 2004 DNC convention in Boston, I knew he was destined for greatness, and that he’d make a significant contribution to shaping the historical landscape of our nation and the world. He did not disappoint. Despite the negative polls and pundits, a turbulent economy and social trials and tribulations that many of us faced, we were able to rally together to fight those who attempted to disenfranchise us. Through our collective effort and our combined resources, we were able to mobilize a political effort that beat back the regressive intent of eccentric billionaires and other wealthy donors who had evil and selfish intent even though their actions would hurt the least of our people. We were blessed in the end that so many of us were able to work together to renew the opportunity for enlightened leadership.
I can say with total honesty that I look forward to the coming year projecting positive outcomes for our nation. We’ve learned lessons of our power at the ballot box. We’ve seen the potential for influencing positive change. We’ve learned that the only way to overcome aggressive and evil intent of our opponents is to mobilize and combine the power of our votes with others.
We’re blessed to have our great First Lady, Michelle Obama, for four more years. I kept waiting for someone to give credit to her for the meaningful work she’s done the past four years, but seeing little, I want to remind all of us of the great work she has done to get us moving—especially our children.
Recently theWashington Post did almost a page on improving child nutrition in India, but I saw nothing there or in any paper I read about the First Lady’s work on that subject. I even checked out the Style Section where many papers place important information just because a woman did or said it, but I didn’t see it. I’m grateful for the work she did with her Let’s Movecampaign. I’m sure it helped to move the needle down a little on childhood obesity. Several of our youth chapters in the National Congress of Black Women chose Let’s Move as their project. I’m especially proud of our Columbia, SC Chapter for the work they’re doing in this area with their praise dancing.
It’s so easy to make a positive difference so let’s think of something we can do to make 2013 a better year for somebody! There’s no better time than now to start so we can all look forward to a greater new year in 2013!
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is Chair of the National Congress of Black Women. www.nationalcongressbw.org. 202/678-6788)