Unapologetically Black: Why We’re Done Asking for Permission

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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Unapologetically Black: Why We’re Done Asking for Permission

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In this episode of Need to Know, Dr. Nsenga Burton delivers a powerful reflection on Black advocacy through the lens of empowerment, intersectionality, and political betrayal. Drawing on a deep historical foundation, she unpacks the tireless work of Black Americans who have fought not just for their freedom, but for civil rights that uplift all Americans, often without receiving that same solidarity in return. Dr. Burton confronts the double standards Black activists face, especially when their movements prioritize Black lives unapologetically. She examines recent examples of political abandonment, voter suppression, and the alarming disparities in Black maternal health, challenging listeners to recognize the unique burdens placed on the Black community. Through personal narratives and sharp analysis, she affirms that Black advocacy is not only justified—it’s essential and morally grounded. This is a call to reject guilt-tripping narratives and honor the right of Black communities to lead, center, and define their struggles and triumphs.

▶︎ In This Episode

00:00: Introduction and Welcome

00:43: Historical Context of Black Activism

02:32: Current Issues and Lack of Support

04:40: Personal Stories and Systemic Failures

08:36: Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Episode Transcript

BEP Narrator (00:02):
A Black Executive Perspective.
Now presents need to know withthe award-winning hyphenated Dr.
Nsenga Burton.
Dr.
Burton, what do we need to know?
Dr. Nsenga Burton:
Good morning and welcometo Need To Know with Dr.
Nsenga Burton.
I am she.
Today, I'm here to talk to you aboutthe information on the web or I

(00:23):
would say there is some discussionon the web about where black folks.
Right.
We know that you all are upsetabout Kamala Harris not winning
the election, and you should beparticipating in these protests.
You should be organizing theprotests, all the things.
And, um, I would like to address the factthat we are not your property anymore.
I would like to address that.

(00:43):
So, um, there was a time for fairlyrecent history when black people
collectively, that would be theadvocates, the activists, those who
are on the right side of history.
Not all of us, but many.
Um, we're marching and beingbeaten down by the police.
Um, there was a time when we were, andactually it's been the last 20 years,

(01:05):
it's been longer than recent history,but whatever, um, where we were like,
Hey, listen, you know, our voting rights.
Uh, which means your votingrights are gonna be in trouble.
Um, our civil rights, which means yourcivil rights are gonna be in trouble.
Our reproductive rights, which meanyour reproductive rights are gonna be in
trouble, um, have been, I mean, we've beenscreaming it, you know, from the top of

(01:26):
the mountains to the lowest hills and, um.
You know, received very little, um,support, collaboration, collective
action from other groups that benefitedfrom all of the work that was done
primarily by African Americans, butcertainly I would say multicultural.
Um, um.

(01:47):
Uh, groups, um, that are on the rightside of history as well, but historically
have been, you know, the, the torch hasbeen, uh, carried by black Americans.
Um, so that we have all of theserights that everyone gets to enjoy.
You know, like we're not like othergroups, um, that you can look up at around
the country where it's like, oh yeah,we want civil rights, but just for us.

(02:08):
Oh yeah, we want votingrights, but just for us.
Yeah.
Y'all gotta get your own.
No, no, no.
We're gonna form 'em in a wholenother party and we're gonna have
like 25 different parties and we justgoing each, you know, try to figure
out we're, we're not doing that.
You know, we don't wantreproductive rights just for us.
We want everything for everybody.
We are humanists, we live, uplifteveryone with our activism.

(02:28):
So when all of those things went away.
Um, and, uh, you know, in some shapeor way, shape or form when millions
of us were disenfranchised by, um, atbest racist voting laws and at worst,
uh, just very persnickety votinglaws that targeted, um, very specific
demographics, especially us basedon how we historically have voted.

(02:49):
Um, at least in recent history.
Um, there was very little fanfareoutside of the black world, um, when
those reproductive rights were hit.
Very little fanfare.
I mean, there's a black woman now on, um.
She's brain dead and she'sbeing forced to carry a baby.
Um, 'cause she was nine weeks prepregnant when she, uh, developed
blood clots in her brain.
She's a registered nurse, she'sin the hospital where she works.

(03:12):
She's brain dead.
Um, and there has been little fanfarearound the fact that she has been made
to carry, uh, to continue on in thisworld even though she's effectively
dead, uh, because of a nine week fetus.
That is in her, um, a nine week, uh,old baby that is in her, uh, her body.
The baby's older now, obviously'cause she's been on life

(03:34):
support for three months.
Um, very little fanfare.
Um, but we warned youabout maternal mortality.
We warned because what's happeningto us in ridiculous rates like
an rn, she's a registered nurseand is now on life support, okay.
In the hospital in which, andguess whose family's on the hook?
Her family's on the hook for the cost.
State is not covering it,the family is covering it.

(03:57):
They have to pay for it.
All right?
So anyway, we've been telling youall, all these things for so many
years and we are tired of telling you.
We have organized protests and doneprotests and some of them have been
ridiculously effective and othershave, um, not, they've really just
resulted in our incarceration abuse.
And just more punitive laws, um, andmeasures being passed, um, for us.

(04:20):
So I say all of that to say when you'relike, where are the black people?
I feel very safe saying,well, where were you?
Um, and we have fought historicallyfor everyone's rights, um, because
we've been fighting for us as youknow, we're fighting for you too.
Um, so we have the rightto not participate.
In these protests because weknow what will happen to us now.

(04:40):
They, they deported a blackman born, um, to a father.
His father was Jamaican, servedin service for 20 something years.
He's born on a military base, um, haslived in the United States his whole life.
They deported him to Jamaica.
Why was, was his crime?
Uh, he couldn't pay his rent.
Was put out of his house, wentback to get some of his things,

(05:01):
was reported for trespassing.
Put him in jail.
Initially they were going,uh, and, uh, sent him to ice.
Even though he's, uh, an American,um, they're like, oh, you were
born on the na uh, military base.
You're not an American.
So now we just gonnachange the constitution.
We change the rules.
We're just doing whateverthe hell we wanna do.
Right.
Um.
And first they were trying to puthim, they put him on a plane in

(05:23):
Nicaragua and he was like, I'mthe only English speaking person.
I don't speak Spanish.
So he said, Hey, hey, hey,I'm an American citizen.
Took him out now then theyput him on a plane to Jamaica.
He's in Jamaica, has never been there.
His, his entire life, whole familyhas immigrated to the us so he
doesn't even have family there.
Um, and uh, I'm just,have you heard about this?
Okay.
Probably not.
Yeah.
No.

(05:43):
Okay.
So we have other shit we're dealing with.
Sorry, just trying not to cuss Tony.
Um, but we have other stuff thatwe are actually dealing with that's
happening in real time that we areactively organizing around, um, and
being part of protest for people.
Um, many of whom, and we know it's noteverybody we know, it's not everybody,
but many of whom voted for 47 andknew exactly what was going to happen.

(06:06):
And now that it's happening, you justdidn't think it was gonna happen to you.
And now you see that they justdon't care about the constitution.
They don't care about law and order,the rule of law, none of that stuff.
They don't care.
Well, we knew they didn't careabout police officers at the,
the, uh, the insurrection, right?
So we already knew that.
But you all don't care about that.
You just interested in law and order.
And when this president sent, um,the Marines in and not to be, uh,

(06:31):
stereotype Marines, but I alwayscall 'em the fifth dimension.
Because I don't know if youmet the Marines, and again, I
come from a military family.
I'm just gonna say the Marinesare different and they are
sent in to seek and destroy.
That is their mission.
They, I call 'em the killers.
I, I know.

(06:52):
Uh, one of my cousins hates that.
Hates it.
I don't care.
They're the killers.
If you want something done right thefirst time you send in the Marines,
if you want somebody eliminated thefirst time you send in the Marines,
that is who 47 is sending to peoplewho are protesting ice in Los Angeles.
I.
That is who he's sending.

(07:13):
So I say all that to say, weare not gonna be a part of that.
Y'all not gonna put us in jail.
We got real shit we're working on.
We're trying to get our rights backso that you can have some again.
Um, and we are trying to mobilizeand work around some of these
issues that are happening in ourcommunity that need our attention.
Um, and so we are putting usfirst, uh, for the first time ever.

(07:35):
We're putting us first.
Not the whole humanity, the wholecountry, you know, other folk
we're not, we're putting us first.
Um, and so we're not gonna do that.
And you don't get to tell us that.
And rooted in you thinking youcan tell us what to do is white
supremacy, um, is sexism, isracism, is misogyny, all the things.
Uh, we're not going tocater to your paternalism.

(07:56):
And the idea that you think that youcan tell us what to do, who to vote for,
and that we're on the wrong side becausewe're not, you know, we may or may not
be 'cause many people are pro-Israel inour community, but you know, we're not,
uh, with what's happening in Gaza orwe are not, you know, a hundred percent
behind certain things that are happening.
Black people know as Professor Cru, andif you know who she is, look her up.

(08:17):
Um, says we know the differencebetween bad and worse.
Which is why we were trying to warnyou and why many of us voted, including
some people who have historically beenRepublican, voted for Kamala Harris.
All right, now y'all, youlearning a hard lesson.
You just gonna learn what we've alreadybeen dealing with for almost 400 years.
So that's all I got.

(08:37):
I got the Kanye Shrug.
Don't know what to tell you, butyou don't get to tell us what to
do, when to do it, and how to do it.
We will.
We are in possession, complete possessionof our minds, our moral compass.
Our moral compass, our moralcompass, and, uh, we get to decide
when and how we want to protest.

(09:00):
Stand up for, um, or fight forthe rights of all Americans as
we have done throughout history.
And with that in mind, I wantyou to have a wonderful day.
Make sure you tune in nextweek to the need to know with
Dr.
Nsenga Burton
and of course to A Black ExecutivePerspective podcast and award-winning
podcast that gives you manysides of all of the issues.

(09:23):
All right, so I will see you soon.
Thank you for tuning in.
Bye.
A Black Executive Perspective.