“Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it.”
– Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (1961)
(BALTIMORE – September 28, 2025) – Sometimes we’ve got to rewind the tape back to the 1960s just to remind folks where we’ve been. Back then, Dr. King warned us about “nullification and interposition” — the very tools segregationists used to block progress. And let’s not forget Baltimore’s own Clarence Mitchell, Jr. As the NAACP’s chief lobbyist, he was in the White House in ’64 when President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. Mitchell fought tooth and nail for that bill, which outlawed discrimination in public life, opened doors in education, and created the EEOC to tackle job discrimination.
That was a turning point. Our people bled for those rights. And yet, sixty years later, here we are — still fighting the same battles. To say the least, racism is exhausting.
Trump and the Great Backslide
Donald Trump’s record speaks for itself. He rolled back fair housing protections, gutted police reforms, and gave police departments back their military toys. His DOJ abandoned consent decrees meant to rein in abusive cops. He and his allies went after Black votes in cities like Detroit, Philly, and Atlanta. Economically, he pushed tax cuts for the wealthy and left crumbs for working families, while ignoring the fact that COVID-19 was killing Black folks at disproportionate rates.
And the spin machine? They’re pros at it. Reporters actually came to Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore to ask if residents wanted the National Guard — as if militarization is the fix. Meanwhile, those same voices downplayed January 6, when the U.S. Capitol was under attack and people died. That’s hypocrisy on steroids.
Let’s also be clear: there’s a record of funding cuts and threats to Black museums and cultural institutions under Trump. He bragged about HBCU funding, but the truth is Congress pushed the money through. At the same time, his budgets tried to cut Pell Grants, work-study, and other programs that HBCU students rely on. He claimed credit while undermining the very support systems our schools need.
A Coppin Connection
And here’s where it hits home. ICE — still playing by Trump’s rulebook — is locking up good, hardworking Black men like my Coppin brother, Dr. Ian Roberts.
Keith Reed, a respected journalist, wrote about this recently. Keith and I both went to Coppin back in the late ’90s, and we knew Ian then — a track star, an international student from the Caribbean, living in Dedmond Hall. Coppin, like a lot of HBCUs, was a special place for brothers and sisters from across the U.S. and the world. Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Ghanaians, kids from Philly, D.C., Atlanta — we all came together, shared culture, and built bonds.
Fast forward twenty-five years. Ian Roberts is now superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools — leading one of the nation’s largest districts, dedicating his life to children and education. Yet today, ICE has him in custody over a decades-old visa issue.
That’s Trump’s America in action. Doesn’t matter that Ian devoted his life to service. Doesn’t matter that he rose from Coppin dorm life to lead a major district. What matters to this administration is scoring points with hate groups by tearing down good men like him. And if they can do it to Ian, they can do it to anybody.
What Baltimore Really Needs
Let’s keep it a buck: Baltimore doesn’t need tanks. We need markets with fresh food. We need schools that actually prepare our kids. We need rec centers so our young people have safe places to grow. We need senior centers that treat our elders with dignity.
Meanwhile, billions flow overseas to fund wars. Where’s the war on poverty here? If America can rebuild Ukraine, it can rebuild Penn-North. If it can bankroll war, it can bankroll peace. Period. It’s all about political will. And the will I see has catastrophic consequences ahead for us all. As the saying goes, we can either learn to live together or we’ll perish together as fools. It’s really pretty simple.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about Trump — it’s about the soul of America. Dr. King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” In 2025, injustice is alive and well. The lie of “all men are created equal” is exposed every time policies protect the privileged while leaving the rest of us behind.
I know America can be better. I’ve seen the brilliance and resilience of our people. But too many in this country still cling to fear and privilege, hoarding wealth and power while parading greed before the world under the banner of democracy.
This is not the America my father and others’ fathers and sisters and family fought for. We, too, are as American – if not more – than anybody. And we clearly believe that enough is enough. It’s time this chicanery comes to an end. It’s time to get back to the work of truly being a world leader – and not a bully. Bullying never ends up well.
Bottom Line
So where do we go from here? The same place our ancestors went: we fight, we organize, we demand what’s ours. The Civil Rights Act wasn’t handed to us — it was fought for. Same with voting rights, same with every step forward we’ve made.
Today is no different. We don’t need more militarization — we need investment in people. The choice is simple: slide back into division, or push forward into justice, equity, and opportunity for all.
And as Fanon reminded us: each generation has a mission. We will either fulfill it — or betray it.
