In episode 22 of Marking The Path, I had the opportunity to speak to Zellie Imani, a fierce activist, community organizer, and leader. While we never crossed paths during our time at William Paterson University of New Jersey, we would find ourselves connected through social media and grew up in the inner-city of Paterson, NJ. I have come to admire and respect Zellie's work as a community organizer but during this conversation, I got to see a different side of him that so many of his followers rarely get the chance to see, Zellie talked openly about his mental health journey and what some of his fears are about his organizing work.
Note: since the time of this recording, my view on certain things I said in this episode have shifted. For instance, I said, "your zip code doesn't determine your life code, it doesn't determine who you will become or where you will go." My view on that perspective has shifted -- our zip code does impact who we are and where we can go in life. White supremacy and capitalism are designed to keep people of color in underserved communities and in poverty. While my initial thinking of saying that quote stemmed from aspirational ideals, it ignored the harsh reality that many Black and Brown people face in cities and towns across the United States.
Guest Bio:
Zellie Imani is a community organizer and educator living in New Jersey. Zellie has served in diverse K-8 settings as an English/Math teacher and curriculum developer. Most recently, Zellie has been organizing against anti-Black state violence with St Louis based Millennial Activists United and Black Lives Matter Paterson. He is also a co-founder of the Black Liberation Collective, a collective consisting of Black students who are dedicated to transforming institutions of higher education through unity, coalition building, direct action and political education that has initiated the #StudentBlackOut movement across campuses in the United States.
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