Value By Ken Mejia-Beal
DuPage Democrats - Vice-Chair of Governmental Affairs

It was the spring of 2019 and I was invited to a pretty big political conference in Washington DC. I was invited due to my political commentary with DemWrite Press (now known as DemCast) and the work I have accomplished as a public speaker. This conference was swanky. It was in a hotel near the Capitol and there was an open bar (SIGN ME UP) and shrimp. Of all the things that are important to know about me, my love of shrimp is probably the most important, because it will open many doors with me. My spouse was unavailable to attend with me so I invited my best friend of 20 plus years Mark. Mark is not political. Mark has been a union crane operator for as long as I can remember. Why did I invite him? He is my best friend, open bar, free shrimp, and we hadn’t had a “guys weekend” in well over a decade. As a married man with kids, Mark was not going to pass up the opportunity for an impromptu trip to DC, regardless of what the event was for. We get to the ballroom, both in black suits with black ties and sign in. I was one of the only black people in attendance. Mark, who is white, while entering the room met a lot of folks that simply introduced themselves.
“Hi my name is Jim, what’s yours?” 
“Mark.”
“Nice to meet you have fun” 

This is how Marks’ evening went. Mine was a little different. I was met with 
“Hi my name is Jim, what brings you in here” 
“Hi my name is Robert, so what did you do to get invited here” 
That’s how my evening went. Time and time again I was asked my purpose there. This is important to note. Mark was valued simply for being in the room. My value, however, was what my credentials could do for others. My value was not in simply being in the room. My value was not from being a young man from the Southside of Chicago who managed to make a pretty impressive name for myself in the financial, political, literary and journalism industries without any contacts. My value came from what I could possibly do for the person who wanted to know my credentials. Hmmmm, does this sound familiar? 

“Slavery in America was perpetuated not merely by human badness but also by human blindness. ... Men convinced themselves that a system that was so economically profitable must be morally justifiable. ... Science was commandeered to prove the biological inferiority of the Negro. Even philosophical logic was manipulated (exemplified by) an Aristotelian syllogism: All men are made in the image of God; God, as everyone knows, is not a Negro; therefore, the Negro is not a man.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
This is a direct quote from Dr. King and it exemplifies that even as well intended as we may think we are, the stink of slavery is still in the fabric of America. Black people in America are often valued by what they can do for others. If you don’t believe that this is still the case, simply watch the news. When you hear about black people being victimized, pay close attention, the victims job will more than likely be mentioned to remind you of their value. Breonna Taylor, was a 26 year old black woman who was shot to death, in her sleep. That should have been all that we needed to know, but we were reminded on a constant loop that she was a medical worker. While I think it’s important, especially during COVID, the fact that this was the messaging used to show that she was “valued” is wrong, and completely goes over the head of many folks watching the news broadcast. Dr. King was well aware of this standard. He understood it so deeply, that he on top of being a civil rights activist, he was also very vocal about labor. He understood that infusing the fact that black Americans were supporters of labor and hard workers, would be sympathetic to white audiences. Over 50 years later, this still rings true. 

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

The reason I am sharing this, on today of all days, is as a reminder. Dr. King’s message of unity and equality came down to seeing all human beings as equal, regardless of what their “value” is. We still have work to do here. This work starts with recognizing that regardless of what a person can do for you, they are still worthy of being valued to some degree. It starts with the very insight that everyone is deserving of being treated with human kindness. As we review America’s past and future, to many Americans what is in the rear view is not what is in the windshield. What is in the rear view is typically worse than what is in the windshield, as it should be. To many black Americans, our rear view and our windshield look the same. 
Police Brutality – in the rear view and the windshield
Fair Pay – in the rear view and the windshield
Equitable Education – in the rear view and the windshield 
Overcoming unequal communities – in the rear view and the windshield 
Healthcare discrepancies – in the rear view and the windshield 

I implore you all, not just today, but every day to help move America towards Dr. King’s real dream – a better tomorrow. It will take all of us to make sure that what ALL Americans see in the windshield is better than what is in the rear view. That all starts with value. When we all begin to value each other’s stories and perspectives, without demanding credentials, we will move closer to the a better America. The truth is, we all contribute to both the positive and negative aspects of our nation. The lie is that black lives, to be valued and tangible, are based on what that individual produces. 
“A lie cannot live” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.