I-eseyi elandelayo iyingcaphuno eshintshiwe evela esanduleleni sikaMichelle Alexander, sencwadi entsha Ukuba nguNkz. Burton: Ukusuka Ejele Ukuya Ekululameni Ukuya Ekuholeni Impi Yabesifazane Ababoshiwe nguSusan Burton kanye noCari Lynn (The New Press, April 2017).
Tlapha kwake kwahlala owesifazane onesikhumba esinsundu esijulile nezinwele ezimnyama owakhulula abantu ebugqilini futhi wabayisa endaweni ephephile. Wabamukela ezindlini eziphephile futhi wabanikeza ukudla, indawo yokuhlala, nokusiza ekuhlanganeni nomndeni kanye nabathandekayo. Wayehlangana nabo nomaphi lapho ababetholakala khona futhi wahlela nabanye abaningi ukuze babasekele futhi babasize ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene ukuze bangaphinde babanjwe futhi babuyiselwe ekuthunjweni. Lo mphefumulo onesibindi walwazi kahle uvalo nokuphelelwa ithemba kwalowo nalowo owayeza kuye, ebona emehlweni abo bonke ubuhlungu ayebuzwa eminyakeni edlule lapho ehlukunyezwa futhi eboshwe ngamaketanga wagcina eseluqala olwakhe uhambo oluya enkululekweni. Ebusuku wamemeza kuNkulunkulu ecela amandla, wathi evuka wawuqala phansi umsebenzi wakhe, evula iminyango, ehlela izindlela zokuphunyuka, ebambana omama ngezandla bekhalela izingane ababenethemba lokuzibona futhi. Ummeli ongaphezi wobulungiswa, lona wesifazane wayengumbhubhisi oziqhenyayo kanye nomlweli wenkululeko. Utshele iqiniso elingahlotshisiwe kunoma ubani owayezolalela futhi wachitha amahora amaningi eqeqesha futhi ehlela abanye, ezimisele ukukhulisa inhlangano. Akasebenzanga nje njengesikhuthazo esijulile kulabo ababemazi kodwa futhi njengesango langempela lenkululeko kumakhulu abantu abampilo yabo yashintshwa unomphela ngenxa yobuqhawe bakhe.
Abanye abantu bamazi lo wesifazane ngegama elithi Harriet Tubman. Ngimazi njengoSusan.
Ngahlangana noSusan Burton ngo-2010, kodwa ngafunda igama lakhe eminyakeni edlule. Bengenza ucwaningo mayelana nezinselelo zokuphinda ngiboshwe ngenxa yempi yezidakamizwa yesizwe yethu enonya nechemile. Ngaleso sikhathi ngangimatasa ngibhala I-New Jim Crow: Ukuboshwa Okuningi Esikhathini Sobumpumputhe Bebalaโincwadi eyayihlose ukudalula izindlela Impi Yezidakamizwa eyayingagcini nje ngokuqeda ngayo imiphakathi empofu yemibala kodwa futhi yasiza ekuzalweni kohlelo olusha lokulawula ubuhlanga nezenhlalo okukhumbuza ngendlela esabekayo inkathi okuthiwa ishiywe ngemuva. I-United States isibe umholi womhlaba ekuboshweni, njengoba seyengeze inani labantu basejele lethu emashumini ambalwa eminyaka ambalwa ngempi yezidakamizwa kanye nenhlangano โyokuba nzimaโ ehloselwe abampofu nabamnyama kakhulu phakathi kwethu. Bengibhala isahluko esichaza indlela amashumi ezigidi zabantu okuthiwa izigebengu nezigebengu aphucwe wona wona amalungelo okuthiwa azuzwe enhlanganweni elwela amalungelo abantu, okuhlanganisa nelungelo lokuvota, ilungelo lokukhonza emajajini, nelungelo lokuvota. bangabi nokubandlululwa ngokomthetho emsebenzini, ezindlini, ekufinyeleleni imfundo kanye nezinzuzo zomphakathi. Ngibe nezintaba zokuhlaziywa kwenqubomgomo kanye nedatha, kodwa ngaphazanyiswa ukuthi ambalwa amazwi alabo ababethintwe yilezi zinqubomgomo zesimanje zikaJim Crow angatholakala ocwaningweni.
Ngiskene inqwaba yezihloko ku-inthanethi, ngabe sengima kancane lapho ngithola inhlolokhono nowesifazane ogama lakhe linguSusan Burton. Ubuqotho nobuqiniso bezwi lakhe kwakungenakuphikwa. Utshele intatheli ngokucacile nangokuqondile ukuthi kunjani, njengoba eseluleme emlutha wezidakamizwa ededelwe ejele futhi edonsa kanzima ukuze aphile, ukuphoqeleka ukuthi "ahlole ibhokisi" mayelana nezicelo zokuqashwa, izindlu, kanye nezitembu zokudla ezitholakala yonke indawo. umbuzo, "Wake walahlwa yicala?" Wayazi kahle kamhlophe ukuthi, uma lelo bhokisi selihloliwe, isicelo sakhe sizolahlwa kudoti. Wayezophila kanjani ngaphandle kokudla, indawo yokuhlala, noma umsebenzi? Uchaze ngokusobala nangokuqiniseka ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba yisakhamuzi esisezingeni lesibili ezweni elibizwa ngenkululeko, wagcizelela ukuthi uzimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imithetho, imithetho, imigomo nemikhuba. ezigunyaza ukucwaswa okusemthethweni kwabantu abanamacala ekugcineni ziyekwe, futhi siqala ukunikeza ukwelashwa kwezidakamizwa kunokuba amaseli asejele kubantu abanenkinga yokulutheka nokusebenzisa kabi izidakamizwa. Ngathola ukuthi uSusan wayedale amakhaya amaningana aphephile abesifazane ababeboshiwe ngaphambili nokuthi wayeyingxenye yenhlangano encane kodwa ekhulayo yokubuyiselwa kwamalungelo ayisisekelo omphakathi nawomuntu kubantu abachithe isikhathi bevalelwe. Ingxoxo yangishukumisa, futhi ngacabanga Kufanele ngihlangane nalo wesifazane.
Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho UJim Crow Omusha yashicilelwa, ngaba nethuba lami. Umngane wethu womabili wasazisa nge-imeyili, futhi uSusan wangimema ukuba ngize e-Los Angeles futhi ngivakashele inhlangano engenzi nzuzo ayisungula, Indlela Entsha Yokuphila. Wangibonga kakhulu ngencwadi yami, futhi wathi yena, kanye nabesifazane ababekade beboshiwe abahlala ezindlini eziphephile, bafuna ukungihlelela umcimbi wezincwadi esikhungweni somphakathi sendawo. Ngamtshela ukuthi ngingajabula kakhulu uma ngifika futhi nginethemba lokuthi ngizofunda okwengeziwe ngomsebenzi wakhe futhi nginikeze nokusekelwa ngokusemandleni ami.
Ngangingakulungele okwalandela. Ekufikeni kwami, uSusan wangibonisa amakhaya aphephile abesifazane ababeboshiwe asebenza njengengxenye yeNdlela Entsha Yokuphila. Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi yini ebengiyilindele, kodwa mhlawumbe into efana nezindlu ezahlukene engizibonile eminyakeni edlule. Kunalokho, ngathola enye into ngokuphelele. Lezi bekungezona izikhungo noma izindawo zokukhosela noma iziteshi noma nje izindlu zabantu abakhululwe ejele abadinga usizo lokwesekwa. Kwakuyimizi lena. Imizi enothando. USusan wangiyisa endlini ngendlu futhi wangibonisa lapho abesifazane abalala khona futhi besebenza. Izakhamuzi nezisebenzi zabingelela uSusan ngezinga elithileโโSawubona, Nkosazana Burton!โkodwa imfudumalo nothando lwalubonakala. Kwamanye amagumbi okulala, upende wawuxebuka ezindongeni, omatilasi bezingane bephansi kanye nezilwane ezimbalwa ezigcwele zihlakazekile. Ngokusobala, yonke isenti eqoqwe yafakwa ngokushesha ekuhlinzekeni imibhede, izindlu, nezinkonzo ezengeziwe. Izindawo zokulala zazimbalwa, ngisho nokuncane. Kodwa futhi babemsulwa, futhi wonke umuntu wesifazane engahlangana naye wabonisa ukubonga okukhulu ngoSusan nangendlela yokuphila ayinikeza. USusan akanikelanga nje ngendawo yokulala nokuthola usizo olwaludingeka kakhulu kodwa nokusekelwa ngokomzwelo njengoba abesifazane bezabalaza ukuhlangabezana nezidingo ezibonakala zingapheli futhi zingenakwenzeka zamaphoyisa okukhululwa nge-parole kanye ne-probation, kanye nezimfuno ze-ejensi esatshwa kakhulu kunabo bonke: izinsiza zokuvikela izingane.
E-California, njengezifunda eziningi, abesifazane abadedelwe ejele kumele bahlangabezane nohlu oludidayo lwezimfuneko uma benethemba lokuthola futhi ilungelo lokukhulisa izingane zabo, okuhlanganisa nokukhombisa ukuthi bathole umsebenzi nezindlu. Ukufeza lezi zidingo akuyona into encane, ikakhulukazi lapho amakhulu ezigaba zemisebenzi engavunyelwe kubantu abanamarekhodi obugebengu, ukucwaswa kusesemthethweni kubo, izikhungo zezindlu zomphakathi zivame ukwenqaba ukufinyelela kubantu ngokusekelwe emarekhodini obugebengu, futhiโkuze kube kamuva njeโ ngisho nezitembu zokudla bezingekho kubantu abanamacala ezidakamizwa. USusan nabasebenzi bakhe basebenza ngokuzikhandla ukuze basize abesifazane base-A New Way of Life bahlangabezane nalezi zimo, kodwa futhi baya enkantolo nabo, babambane ngezandla, futhi bathandaze nabo, njengoba amajaji enquma ukuthi ukuboshwa kuzonqanyulwa phakade yini.
Ngikhumbula ngishayela uSusan ucingo ngolunye usuku, ngemva kwesikhathi eside ngimvakashele okokuqala, futhi ngamthola esenkantolo nowesifazane osemusha owayesanda kulahlekelwa ilungelo lokuhlala nendodakazi yakhe unomphela. Izwi likaSusan lalidabula futhi liphuka ocingweni, ehluleka ukubamba izinyembezi, njengoba eqhuma phezulu: โBengilokhu ngilapha isonto lonke enkantolo, ngibukele futhi ngilindile njengoba le mindeni ihlukana phakathi. Ngiyababona laba besifazane benza konke okusemandleni abo, namanje izingane zabo ziyathathwa. Singakwenza kanjani lokhu kubantu? Ingabe ukhona oqonda ngempela ukuthi kwenzakalani lapha? Sizimisele ukuchitha inqwaba yamadola sifaka abantu abadinga usizo emakhejini, bese kuthi uma bephuma sithi awuwutholi umsebenzi, futhi awukwazi ukuba nendlu, futhi ngenxa yokuthi awunayo nathi. uzothatha izingane zakho futhi. Kwesinye isikhathi ngiye ngicabange ukuthi ngeke ngikwazi ukuqhubeka, ukuthi angisakwazi ukukubekezelela ukubuka lokhu noma ukwenza lokhu.โ
Kodwa uyakwenza. Usuku nosuku, uSusan uhlale ekhona, wamukela abesifazane ababuya ekhaya bephuma ejele, ebanikeza ukwesekwa okukhulu kanye nesiqondiso ngangokunokwenzeka, futhi ehamba nabo ukuya enkantolo. Ngokuphindaphindiwe. NjengoHarriet Tubman, owasiza ngokudumile ekwakheni i-Underground Railroad yezigqila ezibalekile ezazifisa ukukhululeka futhi zihlangane nabathandekayo bazo, uSusan uzinikele ekusizeni labo abathunjiwe namuhla ukuba bathole ikhefu langempela lenkululeko, bazame ukwakha kabusha izimpilo zabo. kanye nemindeni, futhi ngethemba ukuthi izoqala ukuphulukiswa ekuhlukumezekeni kwakho konke.
Angicabangi ukuthi ngangikuqonda ngokugcwele ukuhlukumezeka okutholwa abantu abagcwele amajele aseMelika ngaze ngaqala ukuzinika isikhathi sokulalela izindaba zabo. Ucwaningo lusikisela ukuthi abantu abavamile ukushintsha imiqondo yabo noma bakhe umbono wezwe omusha osuselwe kumaqiniso noma idatha iyodwa; kungenxa yezindaba (kanye nezimiso zezimiso ezigxiliswe kuzo) lapho sifika khona ukuze sichaze kabusha umhlaba futhi sithuthukise uzwela nobubele kwabanye. Indaba yokuphila kaSusan Burtonโegcwele ukuhlukumezeka, umzabalazo, nobuqhawe bangempelaโiwuhlobo lwendaba olunamandla okuguqula indlela esibuka ngayo umhlaba wethu. Akulula ukufunda indaba yakhe futhi ungazizwa unenselele yokucabangela kabusha imibono eyisisekelo mayelana nohlelo lwethu lokungabi nabulungisa lobugebengu, kanye nezinkolelo ezinengqondo nezingenangqondo esinazo mayelana nabantu abaphilayo, abaphefumulayo thina, njengesizwe, esizigxekile futhi sazilahla. Esimweni sanamuhla sezombangazwe sikhuthazwa njaloโngemithombo yezindaba, abezombangazwe, nezinhlaka zikahulumeniโukuba sibheke amaqembu athile abantu abachazwa ngokwebala nesigaba njengabangakufanelekeli ukunakekelwa nokukhathazeka, ikakhulukazi imilutha yezidakamizwa, izigebengu, nalabo okuthiwa abangekho emthethweni. bavaleleke emajele, ezikhungweni zokuvalelwa, nasezindaweni ezihlala abantu kulo lonke elase-United States.
Ngesikhathi sokuvakashela kwami โโokokuqala ku-A New Way of Life, uSusan wangihlalisa phansi esofeni endlini ephephile engenaluthoโizakhamuzi zazingekho okwamanjeโfuthi ngokuthula waqala ukuxoxa indaba yakhe. Wachaza ukuthi i-odyssey yakhe ngohlelo lwezobulungiswa bobugebengu yaqala lapho indodana yakhe eneminyaka engu-5 ubudala ibulawa ngengozi iphoyisa elaliqashwe uMnyango Wamaphoyisa e-Los Angeles. Iphoyisa belishayela emgwaqeni wakubo endaweni yangakubo eSouth Central lafica umfana walo ngesikhathi ewela umgwaqo. I-LAPD ekuqaleni ayizange inikeze isinxephezelo, akukho ukwelulekwa, nokusekela ukuhlukumezekaโngisho nokuxolisa. Wawela emthonjeni ojulile, obonakala ungenasiphelo wosizi nokucindezeleka.
Angingabazi ukuthi izinto ngabe zihluke kanjani ukube uSusan wayecebile futhi emhlophe. Ngisho noma wayenezinga eliphakathi futhi ekwazi ukuthola uhlelo oluhle lomshwalense wezempilo, wayengakwazi ukukhokhela iminyaka yokwelashwa futhi anikezwe imithi yomthetho engcono kakhulu etholakalayo ukuze imsize abhekane nokuhlukumezeka kwakhe. Kodwa izinto zazihlukile kuSusan. Ngenxa yokuntula imali nesimiso sokusekela, waphendukela ezidakamizweni ezingekho emthethweni futhi waba umlutha we-crack cocaine. Ukuhlala emphakathini omnyama ompofu ovinjezelwe ngesikhathi sokuphakama kweMpi Yezidakamizwa, kwaba yindaba yesikhathi ngaphambi kokuba uSusan aboshwe futhi anikeze isivumelwano sakhe sokuqala sokuncenga. Bekungeke kube okokugcina kwakhe. USusan wahamba ephuma ejele ngebhayisikili iminyaka engu-15, evaleleke endaweni engaphansiโindawo yenhlalo efanayo ekhona yalezo zigebengu nezigebengu ngesikhathi sokuboshwa kwabantu abaningi. Ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho ekhululwa, wayebhekana nesizinda semithetho nemithetho ebandlululayo eyenza ukusinda kungenzeki, futhi waqhubeka nokuzelapha ngezidakamizwa ezingekho emthethweni.
Ngokungangabazeki, uSusan wagcina evunyelwe ukungena esikhungweni esizimele sokwelapha izidakamizwa futhi wanikwa umsebenzi. Lapho esehlanzekile, wanquma ukunikela ukuphila kwakhe ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi akekho omunye wesifazane oyoke ahlupheke ngalokho ayedlule kukho. Waqala ukuhlangana nebhasi lasejele, njengoba lalikhulula abesifazane emigwaqweni bengaphethe lutho ngaphandle kwekhadibhodi elinempahla yabo namadola ambalwa emaphaketheni abo. Wathi kulaba besifazane ababengabazi, Hamba nami siye ekhaya, nilale embhedeni wami noma phansi. Ngizoqinisekisa ukuthi unophahla phezu kwekhanda lakho nokudla ongakudla. Awudingi ukujikela emigwaqweni namuhla ebusuku.โ
USusan wangichazela ukuthi, ekuqaleni, wayemane efuna ukunikeza abesifazane ababezabalaza ukuze benze ngaphandle ukudla, indawo yokuhlala, ukuphepha, nokusekelwa okuthile njengoba babehlanganisa ukuphila kwabo ndawonye futhi. Kodwa manje, uSusan uthe, ubona inhloso nenjongo yakhe njengento ebanzi kakhulu. Uhlose ukusiza ukwakha inhlangano, inhlangano elwela amalungelo abantu ezohlinzeka indlela yendlela entsha yokuphila yethu sonke. Wasungula ngokuhlanganyela Sonke noma Cha, inhlangano ezinikezele ekubuyiseleni amalungelo ayisisekelo omphakathi nawesintu kubantu ababeboshiwe, futhi isiqalile ukuqeqesha abesifazane abayingxenye ye-A New Way of Life ukuze babe abaholi, abakhulumeli nabahleli. Ubuka abantu besifazane abahlala futhi abasebenza naye hhayi nje njengabantu bokuthi โbasizwe,โ kodwa abesifazane abahlanganyela emzabalazweni ofanayo wokulungisa izimpilo zabo ngabanye, kuyilapho beguqula imiphakathi yabo kanye nesizwe sonkana.
Kusukela kuleyo nkulumo esofeni lakhe eminyakeni embalwa edlule, mina noSusan sibe nezingxoxo eziningi mayelana nekusasa lokwakha umnyakazo kanye nokumela ukuqeda ukuboshwa kwabantu abaningi. Usephenduke umngane nesethenjwa, kanye neqhawe lami. Ngaso sonke isikhathi uma ngikhuluma naye ngiye ngikhunjuzwe ukuthi kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukuthi abantu abathintwe wukungabi nabulungiswa bavele njengabalingani nabaholi bezinhlangano zobulungisa esihlose ukuzakha. Njengommeli nanjengesifundiswa, ngivame ukuzungezwe abantu abacabanga ukuthi bayazazi izimpendulo, kanye nendlela yokuchaza inkinga, futhi babe nemibono engapheli mayelana nokuthi yini okufanele uyenze ngokulandelayo. Benze ucwaningo lwabo futhi bacwaninga idatha bafunda imibiko futhi bayakwazi ukuzulazula emahholo amandla. Nokho ngokuvamile abantula nakho ukuphila okubalulekileโizindlela ezijulile, ezijulile zokwazi nokubona ezitholakala ngokuphila ebunzimeni obukhulu bobuhlanga nezenhlalo kanye nokwenza indlela yokuphuma ngaphandle. Engikutholile ukuthi kuningi engingakufunda kuSusan Burton kunalokho akwenzayo kimi, naphezu kwalo lonke ucwaningo nokubhala engikwenzile ngalezi zindaba eminyakeni edlule.
Incwadi kaSusan, Ukuba nguNkz. Burton: Ukusuka Ejele Ukuya Ekululameni Ukuya Ekuholeni Impi Yabesifazane Ababoshiwe, akuyona nje indaba emayelana nowesifazane owayeboshiwe ozinikele ekusebenzeleni ubulungisa nenkululeko ngesikhathi sokuboshwa kwabantu abaningi. Indaba yowesifazane omnyama, njengoba evame ukungitshela, "akayona into ekhethekile" kodwa nokho ukwazile ukuguqula impilo yakhe kanye namakhulu ezimpilo ezizungezile. Uvele njengomuntu ohamba phambili emzabalazweni wokuqeda ukuboshwa kwabantu abaningi, ehlale ehola ngesibonelo futhi engalokothi ahole yedwa. Le ncwadi ixoxa ngendaba yowesifazane oyedwa owaziwa izisebenzi nezakhamuzi njengoNkz. Burton, kodwa futhi ixoxa indaba ebanzi kakhulu, yendawo yonke mayelana nokuba ntekenteke okukhulu kanye nokuqina okumangalisayo komoya womuntuโngisho naphezu kocansi olunzima, ngokomzimba. , nokuhlukunyezwa ngokomzwelo. Ekugcineni, lena indaba emayelana nendlela lonke uhlelo lwemithetho ecindezelayo, imithetho, izinqubo-mgomo, nezinqubo eziye zahluleka ngayo ukuchoboza unomphela umoya wowesifazane oyedwa kanye nemimoya yabesifazane abaningi abaye bangena eminyango yeNdlela Entsha Yokuphila. , nakuba ngokuqinisekile leso simiso sizamile. Ukuboleka izinkondlo zikaMaya Angelou, "Futhi basavuka njengothuli."
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