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OP-ED: Check your watch: it’s time to lead

ROLLINGOUT.COM — Some people rang in the new year with fireworks, singing and dancing, while others promised to improve themselves, resolving to be more decisive, more focused and more inspiring.

Published

6 years ago

January 7, 2019

Rashad Richey

By Rashad Richey

Some people rang in the new year with fireworks, singing and dancing, while others promised to improve themselves, resolving to be more decisive, more focused and more inspiring.

And let’s not forget the inauguration of newly elected officials in our cities, counties, states and the federal government. As enthusiastic politicians assume the mantle of leadership, the collective, once again, vowed to hold them accountable to promises made during the campaign. We wonder out loud how these new leaders will meet our collective societal needs. If you are like me, you will likely observe how each elected official performs in their new role. Will their leadership be a surface commitment to their constituents? Will they affect substantial change for the underserved and forgotten? Will they simply choose to ride out their terms until the next election and hope they have offended no one? Or, will their leadership show promise of transformational qualities and inspire the masses?

It is easy to stand on the outside and be critical of those who are active participants. Anyone who dares to lead must accept a few realities. Criticism is the price you pay for leadership, and the day you are unwilling to pay that price is the day you are unfit to lead. Accept it, embrace it, allow it to make you better.

I would argue that we all lead. Whether we serve in politics, business, religion, our communities or our homes, the effectiveness of our service is measured through the lens of leadership. What is leadership? In its simplest contextualization, leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organization. However, this definition lacks the implied ethical and moral standards we commonly attribute to this art.

Understanding leadership as an art implies there is a set of skills that can be developed, nurtured and honed. Yet, even this illustration does not explain whether that leadership is transformational, transactional, situational or autocratic

As a professor, I question whether students are following my leadership and making the most of their learning opportunities. As a television and radio broadcaster, I wonder if my content moves others to action. As an editor-at-large, I ask whether I am driving creativity and productivity while improving the bottom line. And, as a father, uncle and mentor, I inquire whether my leadership properly guides those who are impressionable. In each role, I ask myself these questions and commit to learning as I journey through the avenues of leadership.

Good leaders can guide you, but great leaders inspire you.

As you begin this new year, I encourage you to take a moment and identify your leadership style. Increase your technical, cultural and geopolitical awareness and use that awareness to create a vision of what you aspire to be. Go forth confidently in the world, knowing that you are becoming uniquely qualified to lead.

Rashad Richey, Ph.D., is a radio personality, television news commentator, university professor, national speaker and editor-at-large for rolling out.

Twitter: @Rashad1380

IG: Rashad_Richey

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

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Activism

Remembering George Floyd

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing.

Published

2 days ago

June 2, 2025

Oakland Post

Mural showing the portrait of George Floyd in Mauerpark in Berlin. To the left of the portrait the lettering "I can't Breathe" was added, on the right side the three hashtags #GeorgeFloyd, #Icantbreathe and #Sayhisname. The mural was completed by Eme Street Art (facebook name) / Eme Free Thinker (signature) on 29 May 2020. (Wikimedia Commons)

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA Newswire

“The president’s been very clear he has no intentions of pardoning Derek Chauvin, and it’s not a request that we’re looking at,” confirms a senior staffer at the Trump White House. That White House response results from public hope, including from a close Trump ally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The timing of Greene’s hopes coincides with the Justice Department’s recent decision to end oversight of local police accused of abuse. It also falls on the fifth anniversary of the police-involved death of George Floyd on May 25th. The death sparked national and worldwide outrage and became a transitional moment politically and culturally, although the outcry for laws on police accountability failed.

The death forced then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden to focus on deadly police force and accountability. His efforts while president to pass the George Floyd Justice in policing act failed. The death of George Floyd also put a spotlight on the Black community, forcing then-candidate Biden to choose a Black woman running mate. Kamala Harris ultimately became vice president of the United States alongside Joe Biden. Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the cases against the officers involved in the death of Floyd. He remembers,” Trump was in office when George Floyd was killed, and I would blame Trump for creating a negative environment for police-community relations. Remember, it was him who said when the looting starts, the shooting starts, it was him who got rid of all the consent decrees that were in place by the Obama administration.”

In 2025, Police-involved civilian deaths are up by “about 100 to about 11 hundred,” according to Ellison. Ellison acknowledges that the Floyd case five years ago involved a situation in which due process was denied, and five years later, the president is currently dismissing “due process. “The Minnesota Atty General also says, “Trump is trying to attack constitutional rule, attacking congressional authority and judicial decision-making.” George Floyd was an African-American man killed by police who knocked on his neck and on his back, preventing him from breathing. During those minutes on the ground, Floyd cried out for his late mother several times. Police subdued Floyd for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 3, 2025

Published

5 days ago

May 30, 2025

Oakland Post

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

5 days ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”