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OP-ED: The Power of Black Visionaries: Moving from Resistance to Reconstruction to Reimagining

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In this moment of national reckoning, Black people must see ourselves not just as defenders of our humanity, but as the visionaries and architects of a world yet to be born.

Published

2 years ago

May 13, 2025

Oakland Post

By LaTosha Brown

“Our politics will not save us, but it will be our humanity. Our silence will not protect us, it will be our resistance. Our fears will never advance or evolve our nation, it will only keep us stuck and moving backwards.” In this moment of national reckoning, Black people must see ourselves not just as defenders of our humanity, but as the visionaries and architects of a world yet to be born. For too long, we have pleaded with a nation to recognize what should never have been in question – our fundamental humanity. Today, I am calling for a shift in consciousness that moves us from defense to creation, from resistance to reconstruction, from surviving to reimagining. We are witnessing an intense anti-Black campaign disguised as opposition to DEI, Critical Race Theory, and Black history. This is an attempt to erase us, our history, and our collective memory. But those who seek to silence us forget something fundamental – we have been meeting, gathering, strategizing, and convening for our freedom ever since we reached the shores of this nation.

Make no mistake: We are the architects of democracy in America. From Black visionary W.E.B. Du Bois’s pioneering scholarship to Black visionary Ida B. Wells’s fearless anti-lynching crusade, we have always been at the forefront of expanding what democracy means. We pushed this nation to make what exists on paper real and sustainable. But it’s not paper that gives us our value. We have value just by our presence on this planet. We are builders of a dream that has yet to be realized. We have believed in this nation when she was unable to believe in herself. There is no America without the 14th Amendment. There is no justice when racism shapes public policy. As we embark on what Rev. Dr. William Barber calls “America’s third reconstruction,” we must ground ourselves in five essential pillars: Vision, Voice, Values, Victory, and Vote.

Vision: Black people have always been the visionaries, seeing beyond systems designed to limit us. From Black visionary Sojourner Truth speaking truth to power to the Black visionaries of the Movement for Black Lives reimagining public safety, we have consistently imagined societies more just and inclusive than what existed.

Voice: Once we have a vision, we must speak it into existence with authenticity and the full authority of our lived experience. Too many of us have been told our voices don’t matter. This moment requires our full-throated truth-telling.

Values: Values are our compass when the path is unclear. Do we value people over profit? Community over competition? Justice over convenience? When our actions align with our values, we become unstoppable.

Victory: We must claim victories along the journey. Victory is when a first-time voter casts their ballot when a community stops environmental racism when a young Black girl finds her voice.

Vote: Look to the 1963 Freedom Vote in Mississippi, when over 80,000 Black Mississippians participated in a mock election in response to their disenfranchisement. This powerful act laid the groundwork for the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, led by Fannie Lou Hamer. They didn’t wait for permission to claim their democratic power; they asserted it.

Some suggest we are tired of protesting, marching, and fighting. Let me be clear: We aren’t tired of action—we’re tired of insufficient progress. We’re exhausted by trying to reform systems deliberately designed to create inequality, rooted in racism and white supremacy. We’re exhausted by constantly having to prove our humanity or justify our worthiness of equity and justice. We never tire of taking care of our families, creating lives of safety, security, and joy. What we are tired of is systems that extract our brilliance while marginalizing us and institutions that proclaim justice while implementing barriers to advancement. The real question isn’t whether to continue struggling—it’s how to transform our struggle from defense to innovation and creation. Black people must be visionaries, not just survivors. We must unapologetically stand in the fullness of our humanity, citizenship, and power.

We must be institution builders like Black visionary Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded a college with $1.50 and faith. We must be healers like Black visionary Fannie Lou Hamer, who established the Freedom Farm Cooperative. We must think differently about harm reduction like Black visionary Alicia Garza and the founders of Black Lives Matter. We must be the first line of defense for each other, like the Black visionaries of the Black Panther Party with their community programs.

We can no longer think just as citizens of a nation that we’ve pleaded with for 400 years to recognize our humanity. Instead, we must see ourselves

Oakland Post

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Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

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1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

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Oakland Post

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.