What Happens When We Complain About Black People

Be part of the solution instead of seating around complaining about problems.

Author: Ndahiro Semugeshi

There is a quote about black people that I will never forget. It says,

"If you want to hide something from black people, write it in a book."

There is never a shortage of what is lacking in black people. Black people aren't:

• Educated enough

• Hard working

• Investing enough

• Reading enough

• Marrying enough

• Dating enough

• United enough

• Patriotic enough 

• Whatever enough

The list gets long every day.

What made me mad about this quote was how hypocritical we all are. I was part of this unproductive behavior too. We all have complained at some point in our lives.

We do it every day. Matter of fact it's the easiest thing to do when things are going wrong. We complain when there is no roads, water, internet, hospitals, and good leaders.

What we fail to realize when we blame external factors, is our involvement. We forget that we have a part to play.

We forget our responsibilities. We need to stop reacting when things go wrong and start being proactive.

After getting our degrees, found a corporate job, enjoying the American dream and other developed countries dreams, then we start to lament on what is wrong with our people. 

Seating in our beautiful houses, around tables full of food and drinks, then we dive into arguments, theories, and debates of how terrible, and inferior we are to the rest.

Do you see what is missing in this picture? A goddamn f*ing plan!!!

I don't care how long we cry and complain. What matters is what to do next. Life won't just have mercy on us. And our enemies and competitors won't give us a leg up or a break.

Everything else is working hard to keep us where we are. But we shouldn't be part of what is holding us down.

The question we never ask ourselves is:

• Who made America rich?

• Who made china rich?

• Who made Indians good at IT?

• Who made Japanese and Germans good at producing strong cars?

• How about arsenal and Man United people want to die for?

• Who made N.A.S.A, Apple, Microsoft, and McDonald’s?

It’s people! Once upon a time they were poor, uneducated, and ignorant. But a few of them decided to do something. They didn’t just:

• Talk about their pain

• Seat around and hope for things to work out

• Or pray to the gods for miracles

Common excuses and complaints about the African continent and black people are;

• Corruption

• Laziness

• Ignorance

• Poverty

• Illiteracy

• Lack of resources

• Lack of trustworthy people

• Lack of support

• Lack of infrastructure

• Etc…

Are all these excuses 100% true? I doubt it. And what if they were? What if there wasn't even one good thing in Africa? 

What are we going to do? Sit around and cry? Keep blaming the universe? 

It has to start with you and I. There are people who didn’t wait to have it all together to start. People like:

• Martin Luther king

• Mangari Maatha

• Mwalimu Kambarage Nyerere

• Rebecca Lolosoli 

• Harriet Tubman

• Daisy Bates

• David who was a shepherd 

• Nehemiah who was a king’s battler

• Mordecai who was a guardian

What do all these people have in common?

• They had problems and challenges

• Made a plan

• Became the change they wanted

• They didn’t just talk they acted 

• They didn’t wait for someone else to do it

Here a few things we can do if we really care:

1. Take initiative

It all starts with us taking initiative to be the change we want to see in any corner of the world we live in. Whatever makes your blood boil, start with that. Even if you start:

• Alone

• In the garage

• Late

• Soon

Just start. Aim at something and make it the mission and purpose of your life.

Whatever the circumstances, do something! Start something that matters and don't wait for the world to hand you solutions. Create one. If you can come up with excuses you can come up with solutions too. You would be surprised to see what your brain can do if you commanded it to do better things.

2. Contribute

You may not have an idea of what to do or where to start. Just start by contributing to existing organizations and people you know. Help one person who is creating change to help others.

Find non-profits and small business owners. Support by buying from them and investing in them.

You don't need an idea to start. You need a heart that is willing to serve to start.

The problem we spend time dreaming about starting big organizations, charities, and startups instead of serving our families, friends, neighbors, and communities.

What our communities and countries need are NOT criticism, judgement, complaints, prizes and celebrities. They need REAL CHANGE from YOU!

There are young men and women who don't care if your message goes viral. They want food on table, work to earn income, and books to educate themselves.

It doesn't matter who gets the credit. What matters is being part of the solution that will save lives.

What have we done to support and solve problems of our communities? Is relying on foreign aid, invention, and tools what is going to help us in the long run? I doubt it. It doesn't matter what tools we create. They just have to work, and save lives. That's what matters.

In my personal life, I always wanted to serve. I've served in organizations and communities, but I wanted to tackle the problem at the roots where it all starts. I didn't want to give people hand outs, I wanted show people that they can create their own solutions.

I didn't know what to do until I met friends on social media who loved writing like I do. So, I wondered, what if we created a website that would show our work, and where the world could hear our voice.

Then one of those friends connected me with other writers, another one helped to design logos and domain name for this website.

Made by Daphne Aketch

What's surprising, the majority of our team doesn't live in the same country and continent. The moment this idea was born, Sauti Zetu, things started to work together.

In my life, I've met a lot of people who didn't have much but who accomplished a lot. Our biggest excuse and obstacle isn't adversity and lack of resources but lack of taking action.

3. Join people who are creating change

They exist! The problem is we spend time complaining instead of looking for them. Just google, black men and women who are creating change. You will see. 

The least we can do is helping those who are trying to make change. You can start by writing, sharing a good message that actually creates change, and supporting black movements and businesses in your community and home country.

There are still young black men and women who are making change

• Iribaziga Patience (Afroark)

• Irakoze Giselle (Ndabaga impact)

• Tarana Burke

• Joy Buolamwini

• Angela Rye

• Ayanna Howard

• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

There are millions of black men and women who are creating change. We choose to spend our precious time talking about problems instead of solutions and plans to achieve them. 

4. Starting anything worthwhile isn't easy.

It can be extremely hard to find the right people to work with anywhere. It’s not because they’re black but it’s because they're human. 

There are Americans, Asians, Europeans, and Aliens (so to speak) who are hard to work with. 

If there is one thing that is challenging to every entrepreneur and visionary, it is finding the right people to work with. It’s a worldwide epidemic. 

But I believe you can always find people who are willing to work with you. You just have to start. You need to show up. It all starts with you. 

Once you start, the rest will follow. And if no one else shows up, let it be just you who will make change. With that attitude, nothing is impossible. That is the attitude we need. 

We need people who wouldn’t give up and accept things the way they are. People who wouldn’t watch the world around them collapse because they are waiting for someone else to do the job. 

5. Be the Change

Nothing hurts more like hearing people proudly promoting bad habits like corruption, ignorance, and bad governance. We contradict ourselves when we choose to act and promote what is wrong.

Whatever change we want will have to start somewhere. If you want good education, hospitals, and roads, you need to start by being a good citizen.

Behaviors are contagious. If one woman like Rebecca Lolosoli can stop rape, so can you. What would ten men and women do? More than you can imagine. We all are capable in our own way. We just have to want it so bad to act upon it.

If you have passion and drive use it for something productive. If it bothers you enough to talk about it, don't rest until you've acted upon it.

If you have an idea, suggestion, and contribution, please share it.

If you have a gift, talent, and knowledge please use it. We can all use a little help along the way. Don't take for granted what you have. It might be someone else's solution.

If you are a writer, poet, or just an enthusiastic person who wants to be part of this movement, please subscribe or send us an email at info@sautizetu.com and we will be extremely excited to have you and work with you.