On this week's episode, I honor Black History Month as well as the visionary, forward-looking spin on celebrations of Blackness in February, called Black Future Month. We need to do both: look back in history, while dream forward into the future, nurturing the on-going movement for racial justice. And we must face the suffering and trauma of the present moment. I resonate with the quote: "No one is free when others are oppressed", because it captures that it is not only the oppressed who suffer but the oppressor who suffers for they have been disconnected from their humanity. I share an excerpt from Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom" that crystalizes this truth. Mandela also highlights how critical it is to look back at history, be mindful of the present and intentionally live into a future that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Enjoy the podcast! Links: IG of Lee Merritt @leemerrittesq Lee Merritt on Twitter IG of Patrice Cullors @osopepatrisse Nelson Mandela "A Long Walk to Freedom"