America continues to demonstrate that it isn’t particularly hospitable to its Black citizens. The last several months have provided African Americans with multiple reminders that racism is alive and well, particularly as it relates to the manner in which police interact with minorities. Nevertheless, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for those who believe in the power of civil activism. Aiding in the fight against racial inequality, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded in 1957 by Martin Luther King Jr., has for several decades provided resources and support to the undeserved and underprivileged.
However, in recent years, various chapters have experienced a number of challenges, culminating with an embezzlement scandal in 2010 in the Atlanta branch of the organization that garnered ample attention from the media. Adding insult to injury, the Internet contains several detailed accounts of infighting and fraudulent activity among SCLC members (past and present) in the Los Angeles and Atlanta chapters. This includes a reputation of playing musical chairs, especially with the leadership appointed to govern its Los Angeles chapter. The current president, Rev. William D. Smart Jr., is determined to restore order, structure, continuity and integrity to his portion of the SCLC.
“It will be an upward climb,” he says, “but now more than ever, Black people need a reliable source of support, encouragement, and protection from the evil forces of racism that affect African Americans every day.”
He continued, “Police brutality is a serious problem. We are (currently) going through the proper channels to create legislation that will prohibit cops from using their guns unless the perpetrator also has a gun drawn. The violence has to stop, and we have to put policies in place to protect the safety of our community. That’s how Dr. King and other civil rights leaders affected change—through the legal system.”
Rev. Smart explained that prior to his appointment as president, the SCLC’s Los Angeles chapter had been experiencing several challenges.
“We had problems with the IRS (2014),” he said. “They shut us down temporarily, and we had to relocate our main building. We worked hard to rebuild ourselves financially. We also made a conscious effort to put our best foot forward in terms of personnel. Our staff consists of some of the best and brightest minds in Los Angeles.”
This year, Smart says, the SCLC intends to further reinvent itself by ditching old habits such as sit-ins and protests and adopting new ways to help the community.
One of the new approache the L.A. chapter is utilizing is to focus on job training in addition to civic and human right activism.
“We have created several outreach programs to attract young people to our organization,” he explained. “We help them learn skills that will translate into high-paying jobs. We are currently riding the technology wave. One of our main focuses this year is computer programming. The tech industry is too vast, and too lucrative, for our youth not to be involved.”
Smart believes that training young people to move into the tech industriy will play a critical role in breaking down barriers that exclude people of color.
These days, the fight for civil rights is being led by the tech-savvy millennial generation. While the Black Lives Matter movement continues to gain momentum, other organizations from past decades have quietly faded into the background. However, this won’t deter the SCLC from trying to collaborate with America’s Black youth, Rev. Smart said.
“I’ve never been shunned by young people,” he insisted. “They come to me for guidance and support. When these kids are brutalized by the police, their mothers come to me and the SCLC for support. We’re all in this together. In order to overcome the forces of racism, we have to look beyond age and focus on being united.”
