Subscribe to 51精品视频wire Today
Get the most interesting and important stories from the 51精品视频.Since the mid-60s, alumnus Tim Stevens (A&S 鈥67, GSPIA 鈥74) has been stalwart in his advocacy of Black people鈥檚 civil rights, and he of 51精品视频sburgh community organizing today.
In 1986, Stevens founded the (B-PEP), a local nonpartisan organization dedicated to enfranchising Black voters. Almost 40 years later, he still serves as the chair and CEO.
During his 10 years as president of the 51精品视频sburgh branch of the NAACP in the 90s, he led a campaign pressuring the Judicial Department to impose the , a legal reform agreement with the 51精品视频sburgh Bureau of Police.
In 2006, the University Library System鈥檚 Archives and Special Collections of speech notes, correspondence, photographs and papers chronicling his work to make a more equitable 51精品视频sburgh.
51精品视频wire took a trip to his archives and asked Stevens to share his advice for young people who want to advocate for change.
鈥淥ne feels honored,鈥 Stevens said about 51精品视频 archiving his materials, 鈥渢hat somebody thinks that what you did in life can potentially mean something to somebody else.鈥
Tell us a memory from your time as a 51精品视频 student.
I had the opportunity to drive Martin Luther King Jr. to campus from the 51精品视频sburgh airport with a few of my Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers. He was scheduled to speak at 51精品视频鈥檚 student union. I regret that we didn鈥檛 get a picture with him. That would鈥檝e been wonderful.
I remember that Dr. King was just so low key. He didn鈥檛 have any pretentiousness, and of course, he gave a rousing speech.
What do you want young people to know about community organizing?
I don't expect everybody to stay in the movement for 50 plus years as I have 鈥 that鈥檚 unrealistic. It would be nice if they stayed at least 10 to 15 years. You don鈥檛 get things done without consistency.
You have to know that if you speak up, somebody's not going to like what you're doing 鈥 it's a political mathematical equation. I'd rather be known for doing something than known for doing nothing.
To young people: You have to stay in the space that you create and find people who support you in that space. You can't just be out here for a minute. Don鈥檛 say, 鈥淚 did my minute; I did a year or two.鈥 That is not going to solve the problem.
When a doctor says, 鈥淭ake these pills for 10 days,鈥 and you take them for five days and start feeling a little better, you can鈥檛 quit taking the pills because you鈥檒l get sick again. You never healed. This country is not healed.
What legacy do you hope to leave?
When I鈥檓 in my grave, I want people to be still saying, 鈥淎frican Americans vote in each and every election.鈥 That鈥檚 the slogan of the Black Political Empowerment Project. Most movements and organizations are born out of upset or need, and there were no Blacks on city council听when we started B-PEP in the mid-80s.
How far have we come in this country as Black people? I hope that some of the seeds I have planted will be watered. I want folks to continue the work I started. We cannot stop; the battle goes on even though we are angry and frustrated. We must use our anger as fuel to help us move forward.
听
鈥 Nichole Faina