Time to Stay Motivated

It’s been a hell of a month. I’m already feeling knocked around a bit by the weather and the wave of changes made in Washington, D.C., recently. The flood of emotions is A LOT! If I ignore the headlines for the day, I tend to stay solidly on the side of courage, faith and hope. But when I stop to read more than one article, I find myself angry, sad, fearful, or depressed. It’s important to stay informed but to stay motivated, we must also steal ourselves from the trauma of it all. 

How can we do both?  How do we read the news without allowing ourselves buckle under the wave of emotions?  My BPM colleagues had a few answers: 

1. Stay vigilant. Much of what we read in the news and on social media is designed to distract us from what’s happening behind closed doors, and to keep us from the business at hand. At BPM, we know America still needs authentic stories about the Black experience, and independent content creators still need funding and training to help tell those stories. We won’t let the noise distract us from fulfilling our mission. 
2. Be in Community. We aren’t alone. Individuals, artist groups, and cultural organizations are meeting locally, regionally, and nationwide in an effort to stop the pendulum of progress’s backward movement. Find a group that works for you and let them know you’re ready to push the pendulum forward.  
3. Keep Perspective. We need only look back 50 – 60 years to understand things aren’t as bad as they once were. Can they be better, will they be better? Yes. Our ancestors’ stories prove that even when there seems to be no way, you can make a way. 
4. Find Resilience. America has fumbled the baton before, but the race isn’t over. We may have to appeal, challenge, or even run the heat alone, but just like the 2020 Team USA Women’s Olympic 4×100 relay race, we can still get the gold.  
5. Take Care. Maintaining our physical and mental health will help us endure the years to come. So stay active, and visit a therapist if necessary.  As my maternal grandfather used to say, “Take care of yourself for yourself.”   

The future for media makers who want to bring Black stories to the public is bright. My spirits are lifted whenever I look at how the pipelines of talent on the creative, technical, executive leadership, and distribution sides of our industry continue to expand. BPM has played a major role in this expansion and I don’t know about you, but we’re as motivated as ever. There’s more work to be done and as the Beyonce song goes: “You won’t break my soul!”