Reality: Promises, Battles, and the Flawed Dream
- Dr. Joyce Brown
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
Video: Artur Szczubelek
My lived experience is that the United States of America has been at war, in conflict, or involved in destabilizing and colonizing major parts of the world.
Born four years after the end of World War II, my generation’s reality has included:
The occupation of Japan
The Korean Conflict
Vietnam
Vietnam is especially painful for me. I watched family members, friends, and classmates shipped off to Nam… then witnessed their return, most often broken in body and soul, having participated in raids that destroyed villages filled with women and children. They spent their time high on drugs just to stay sane, only to realize they were despised by family and friends who opposed the war.
Another reality: men moved to Canada and suffered because they were deemed traitors.
It was also a time of radicalization and escalation of the Black Power movement, the anti-war movement, and the women’s movement. Multiple realities converged, fought for supremacy, and often denigrated other movements. The damage done by divisive rhetoric and politics underscores many of the issues we face today. This country—and many of its citizens—still refuse to see women as equal to men or deserving of their equal rights.
Groups were pitted against each other for dominance of message, economic impact, respect, and the ability to bring about lasting change. The reality is that while we experienced some political change and academic success, the lofty goals were not realized. You only have to look at the economic and educational data to see that the benefits largely accrued to white women, not to Black and Brown communities. Those communities remain under-resourced, over-politicized, and waiting for promises that became nightmares.
The reality is: we won some battles, and we lost some faith in each other and in systems of governance. We’ve impacted institutions, yet racism, sexism, and economic inequality remain.
I’m not sure what the future holds for equality or equity, or even civil discourse. Still, even in the absence of clarity or realistic plans for lasting change, I remain committed to the founding principles of this flawed democracy.
Joyce A. Brown is a motivational speaker and author who uses her creative energy to give voice and meaning to the challenges women face in all walks of life. She grew up in Rockford, Illinois in a household of strong women, but her professional career expanded her reach into Peoria and Battle Creek, Michigan. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and has served as a direct services worker, executive director, program director for a major foundation, and entrepreneur. Joyce has experienced many uplifting moments as a professional and as a dedicated parent and strives to bring those events and lessons to life through her characters in the contemporary fiction novels she pens. Visit her Author’s Page
Comments