End of an era

Rosa Parks died this week, as I'm sure all who are reading this know. It's a sad and beautiful thing to see an amazing 92-year-old woman die. It is touching to see her legacy honored, but heartbreaking not to see people as strong as her rising up to take her seat. I know there are still civil rights issues. I know there is still racism and prejudice and hate and inequality. I forget sometimes, holed up in my dorm room, but am reminded as soon as I step outside of it. Sometimes I wonder why nearly all the janitorial staff in my hall are minorities. Is it a coincidence? I know that's not impossible, but sometimes my heart whispers that it is. I know that I have not heard about powerful people, neither leaders nor citizens, trying to change that recently. Somehow we have fallen into a state of complacency. Why is that? Are we really content? I don't think so. Maybe some people are; maybe some people are afraid to change the status quo. I, for one, am not. I want to find a way to break the self-imposed segregation that now divides blacks and whites. It's there; no one can convince me it's not. I very rarely see blacks and whites just hanging out together. It is done; I have several black friends, who have several white friends. It's not like they don't get along, but it is far more common to see groups of blacks standing around, and whites nearby. I wonder why we're okay with keeping things the way they were. I think there's still a larger percentage of blacks in poverty than whites (proportionately). It frustrates me that people seem to be abandoning Parks' work. I admit that I'm probably to blame in part, and I know it continues in a more quiet way. Still, though, I'm often left wondering, Where did all the leaders go?