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The phrase "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is from a 1971 poem by jazz musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron. But it’s often been misinterpreted. Let's unpack what it actually means, according to Scott-Heron himself.
Scott-Heron once said: "The first change takes place in your mind. You have to change your mind before you can change the way you live and the way you move." Coloniality has conditioned us to view everything, including ourselves, through an anti-Black lens. Here’s the first step.
His words urge us to take the first step toward liberation: unlearning the internalized message that our Blackness makes us inferior. "The revolution will not go better with Coke" highlights the stark disconnect between the $1.6 trillion Black consumers spend annually and our marginalized position in society. Liberation won't be easy. Nor will it be handed to us by “ally” corporations claiming to care about Black lives only as long as no one is criticizing them for it. There's even more to unpack.
The opening line says," You cannot stay home, brother. You will not be able to plug in, turn on, and cop out." Scott- Heron is telling us that change requires our active participation.
Shaping a thriving Black future requires action from all of us. We can’t afford to sit at home with our devices and wait for other people to make it happen. Our boots must be on the ground, making change happen for ourselves. This has never been more important. How will you contribute?