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Melech E. M. Thomas:
The color that is inflicting trauma on
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people of color in urban neighborhoods
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is not white, necessarily and
it's not black ... it's blue
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so you can't expect for you to slap
people around the face politically,
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socially, economically and expect us
to sing "God Bless America"
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Title: "A Young Leader in Baltimore"
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It's kind of surreal. I don't even
recognise where I'm standing.
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I mean, I used to, when I was working,
I would come here and get snacks and stuff
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and now, you know, we're walking
through ... What's up bro?
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>> Crazy
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THOMAS: We're walking through a mess ...
It's crazy right.
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SPEAKER: Baltimore, what's happening
right now is our fault.
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THOMAS: I identify with that rage.
I may check it in a different way but
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if you were to ask the Melech Thomas from
2004, 2005 - it might have been different,
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I might have been out there on the streets.
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What's up man?
So good to see you Doc.
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How long you been out it standing
in front of the college?
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>> I got it here like two hours ago
THOMAS: Oh ... for real!
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That's cool man.
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[CROWD CHANT]
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THOMAS: We love Baltimore.
We want peace.
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One of the beauties of Baltimore City
is that Baltimore has had a lot of pastors
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and a lot of leaders who have been leading
with power and integrity for some years.
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SPEAKER: We need a miracle tonight and
because you are a miracle ...
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THOMAS: My hope is that we shift the
energy of these young sisters and brothers.
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I mean, these young people can
change the city
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even without the major pastors,
even without the major politicians
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these young persons can go
into their own neighborhoods
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with that same mind of strategy.
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>> Call me in the name of Jesus, I just
want to uplift these two men to you father
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THOMAS: I've just been trying
to do what I can
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even outside of the tangible
things to help restore hope;
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We started making sandwiches because
there're some kids in the
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Baltimore City Public School system
that the only meal they get
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is the meal that they get in school.
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- No problem, you got your sandwich?
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I just want us to continue
to focus on the larger picture
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because I think all of this noise
and all of this drama
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makes for good TV but the central issue
is the mistreatment of African people.
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CROWD: I love Baltimore, we want peace.
THOMAS: Wow!
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CROWD CHANTS:
We love Baltimore; we want peace