On Social Justice, Black Lives Matter and the Power of Prayer

As a Black Man in America, I pray.

As a Black Man in America, I pray to transform self and society.

As a Black Man in America—I pray that God bless all vulnerable populations in the continued COVID-19 health crisis, and those most vulnerable to historical injustices.

As a Black Man in America I mourn with the family and the country over the death of George Floyd, yet another unarmed Black man who died at the hands of a police officer. There But for the Grace of God Go I.

Dr. Bryant Keith Alexander

As a Black Man in America I pray that God Bless the “Black Lives Matter” movement for its continued critical advocacy and activism for social justice; and to publicly disassociate from factions that promote and further perpetuate fear, violence and destruction linked with Blackness. Such acts of terrorism muddle the critical importance of the Black Lives Matter movement—their work (our work), for the civil liberties and protections guaranteed to all citizens of the United States of America; and particularly recognizing Black and Brown people as equal human beings under God and government.

As a Black Man Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles—I speak for all disciplines and faculty within my purview (e.g. Art and Art History, Communication Studies, Theatre Arts and Dance, Marital and Family Therapy,  and Music)— that/who understand the importance of activism and protest through rhetoric, debate and critical artistic expression; the arts as a reflective, reflexive and refracting mirror of self and society; communication as art and art as communication that promotes social understanding, advocates for social equality, and stands on the right side justice in the acts of information, formation and transformation as a part of our mission.  These are our commitments to our students. These are our commitments to our society. We condemn all forms of racism and bias and we must collectively all fight to address persistent inequities.

As a Black Man in America, and as Dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University, the premiere Catholic/Jesuit University on the West Coast—

I pray that God Bless this City of Angeles (Los Angeles) that we live in, and all cities around the Unites States impacted by this current socio-political moment.

As a Black Man in America, I pray that God Bless All Lives.

As a Black Man in America, I continue to pray for peace.

As a Black Man in America, I believe in the power of prayer.

Dr. Bryant Keith Alexander is dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University. He writes and researches in the areas of Communication Studies, Performance Studies, Race/Culture/Gender Studies, and Educational Studies.