A Call for Hope, Pride and Activism from Ald Scott at Black History Month Flag Raising

By Ald Candyce Scott, speaking at the raising of the Pan African flag in front of New Britain City Hall in honor of Black History Month.

I know today many people are feeling sad, confused, angry, and scared.

Even though we are going through some horribly scary, frightening times, we have to remain positive and know that, sometimes, we go through some difficulties to make it to our blessings. God does not make mistakes.

We have been through hardships, and we struggled, but we were able to overcome, and I believe we will triumph. We need to plan for what is ahead of us, and as MLK said, we can’t wait and therefore the time is now. It’s not tomorrow, it’s not in March – it’s today.

We have to focus and be sure we are providing for our future and protecting our kids’ rights to education, housing, health care and opportunity in the economy in our country. We have like minds and we all want these things for our children and families. We have to come together.

Today we are here to celebrate Black History and this is critical today. It is crucial we remain brave and bold. We must stand against the erasure of our history. I’m talking about our beautiful homeland where we were beautiful kings and Queens, which this flag represents – the red blood of our people the black from the blackness and the green for our beautiful homeland in Africa.

So many contributions Black people have made to this country! Maya Angelo who wrote beautiful memoirs, plays and poems, Malcolm X and Fred Hampton, who I truly admire and look up to, as they both fought and died for Civil Rights and for us to all have opportunity in this country, to our very own New Britain’s beloved Mr Alton Brooks.

Black is beautiful and we have to see color. We see it because we embrace our Black ness our culture, our beauty. Whether we are light skinned medium toned or beautifully dark skinned, or Afro Latino, what ever part of the world you may come from traveled from, were enslaved from, or maybe you already lived here as a native, whatever religion you may practice or language you may speak, all of my brothers and sisters, we most love all people – human beings – and protect human rights.

Time for unity is now. We are just like the motherland. We are responsible for the sustenance for our people wherever they are. That is what this flag symbolizes: we are connected to many, we are all one.

I encourage you to stand with each other, love and protect your neighbor, get involved politically, attend City Council meetings, and do not lose hope for your future. And come Friday at 6:00pm to the “Champions of Change: A Black History Month Tribute” at OIC and Feb 15th at 1:00pm at 4:30pm to the “Celebration of Black America: Past, Present & Future” at the New Britain Public Library.