By Tavon N. Thomasson
AFRO Intern
For three days, from June 19 to June 21, Empowerment Temple Church in Baltimore served as the final stop for the State of the People National Assembly. The event marked the culmination of a national tour that traveled across the U.S., bringing together Black leaders, organizations and activists to discuss pressing issues facing the Black community.
The first day kicked off with music and prayer, as Voices of Empowerment energized the room with a rendition of “Every Praise” by Hezekiah Walker. Shortly after, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott addressed the crowd with a few opening remarks. He emphasized Baltimore’s progress in reducing violence to historic lows, reversing population decline and reinvesting in historically marginalized neighborhoods.
“By investing in those neighborhoods, by building housing, by investing and building and renovating more new schools than any urban district in the country over these last 10 years—libraries, schools, rec centers—this work isn’t always popular, but it is the right thing to do,” said Scott. “As I say every day, that’s what we’re gonna do: the right thing, especially in this moment where the mere existence of our people is under deeper attack.”
After his remarks on day one of the Baltimore session, the Assembly’s opening plenary panel dove into topics such as what freedom looks like for Black Americans today. By the end of the panel, attendees made their way to the Juneteenth Fish Fry, where they could enjoy food, music and fellowship in celebration of the holiday.
Among the many panels and discussions held on day two, one titled “Black Women Leading Change,” led by the Black Women Leadership Collective on June 20, provided a space to discuss the pivotal role Black women play in driving social movements, while also addressing the urgent need for rest, healing and wellness as tools for survival.
“What we wanted to talk about here is rest as resistance, and the importance of self-care as we’re leading, as we’re doing. One of the things we don’t pay close enough attention to is our own self-care, and that sometimes we let ourselves get worn down,” said Karen Finney, moderator of the panel.
Leah Daughtry, co-convener of Power Rising and the Black Women’s Leadership Collective, built on that point, underscoring that rest must be intentional when you’re carrying the weight of community responsibilities.
“Warriors must be well, so you can fight. For me, that means sometimes I just have to turn the phone off. Sometimes I have to take a nap. Sometimes it means I am intentional about where I’m finding joy and that means my nephews,” Daughtry said. “[I’m] really trying to be more thoughtful than ever about where I’m finding breath, where I’m spending time, who I’m spending time with, how am I pouring back into myself, so that I can get up and do the work.”
During the discussion, panelists also addressed the physical toll that chronic stress and constant labor can have on the body. Shavon Arline-Bradley, president and CEO for National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), reminded those in the audience that when pain is ignored, it can have lasting effects.
“There are some pains, physical pains that Black women walk with, so unselfconsciously that you forget that it hurts,” said Bradley. “When you forget that something hurts, you might be missing out on understanding how to actually address it.”
The closing day kicked off with a video showcasing highlights from various Power Tour stops and testimonials from community members. Drummer King Teasdell followed with a libation ceremony and remarks, and then political commentator Joy Reid took the stage.
“This is the culmination of the work that’s been done in city after city to empower our people, to prepare our people to lead ourselves,” said Reid. “We are going to power each other so that we can lead together, so that we can march as one. We need an agenda, and the purpose of this assembly has been to create an agenda so that we’re not just out there saying ‘vote,’ we’re not just out there saying ‘participate.’”
Reid remained onstage after her remarks to introduce new speakers throughout the day, each sharing a few words on the next steps for the Black community and this new agenda going forward. At the end, panelists who participated over the three days assembled onstage for farewells, acknowledging that though the tour is done, the work is just getting started.