14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 5, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Black on Track From the Super Bowl stage to the streets of Monterey County, Black leaders are rising up. By Lisa Lewis FORUM As we celebrate another Black History Month, we pay homage to our ancestors past and present while continuing to fight the good fight in what is known as the “land of the free,” hoping that one day we will reach the promised land. We cannot afford to stand still and deactivate. We must continue to activate and mobilize so our future generations might be able to experience generational wealth. Today, Black families are subjected to blatant racism and discrimination. Continued cries have fallen on many deaf ears. The Monterey County Black Caucus, which includes a team of highly educated, young, gifted and Black soldiers, shows no sign of slowing down until anti-Blackness within our housing and educational systems is addressed and the playing field is even. While the Monterey County Black Caucus focuses on local people and institutions, the halftime Super Bowl performance of Kendrick Lamar on Feb. 9, with President Donald Trump in attendance, was aligned with our mission. “The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy,” Lamar said to 133.5 million viewers. The symbolism ran deep, through the music and choreography—a team of all-Black dancers dressed in red, white and blue, with Lamar in the middle representing a nation divided, a metaphor of racial and political division. Samuel L. Jackson played Uncle Sam, showing how Blacks play the game to get ahead in white America. But it goes much deeper than that. “Uncle Sam Wants You,” the military recruiting slogan went. General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Order No. #15, issued in 1865, was a promise to each previously enslaved, newly freed Black family to receive 40 acres of land and a mule. It was a grand plan for redistribution of land—and it was never realized. At the end of the Civil War in the fall of 1865, president Andrew Johnson overturned Sherman’s order and returned the land to its previous Confederate owners. The great restitution that could have been was not delivered. On stage, Lamar referenced Sherman’s unfulfilled promise explicitly (“Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music”) and ongoing racial disparities, mass incarceration, and “the game” that is rigged against people who do not already hold wealth and power. His performance was like no other Super Bowl halftime performance. So many statements were made. Lamar delivered messages both explicit and subtle—a true statement against social and political oppression and injustice. We need to keep Lamar in our prayers, for we know all too well what can happen when the naked truth is told and exposed, and he has dared to expose it. “They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence,” he said. Thank you, Kendrick, for keeping it real. As Black History Month comes to an end, his message is as relevant as ever: Turn off the TV. Game over. Lisa Lewis is a community health worker and a member of the Monterey County Black Caucus. She lives in Seaside. OPINION We must continue to activate and mobilize. TICKET=$140 EACH (1 TICKET SERVES TWO PEOPLE) All items will also be available à la carte for purchase at the Prepared Foods counter on 3/17/25 until sold out! *ORDER BY: MONDAY, MARCH 10TH PICK UP: MONDAY, MARCH 17TH @ELROYSFINEFOODS WWW.ELROYSFINEFOODS.COM 15 SOLEDAD DRIVE (831) 373-3737 MONTEREY, CA 93940 To place your order visit elroysfinefoods.com or scan this QR CODE! Limited quantities so order soon! AD ASTRA SODA BREAD Served with Irish Cheddar Spread (VEGETARIAN, CONTAINS GLUTEN & DAIRY) GREEN SALAD Spinach & Arugula, Green Onion, Snap Peas, Asparagus, Cucumber, Eggs, Green Garlic Ranch Dressing (VEGETARIAN, GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) GUINNESS STEW Rich Irish Stew with Potatoes & Paprika (CONTAINS GLUTEN & DAIRY) HOUSE BRINED WAGYU CORNED BEEF One Pound Fully Cooked & Sliced (GF, DF, CONTAINS NITRATES) CABBAGE & CARROTS Cooked in Beef Broth and Served in a Parsley Butter (GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) COLCANNON Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Kale & Cabbage (VEGETARIAN, GF, CONTAINS DAIRY) IRISH COFFEE BREAD PUDDING Chocolate & Coffee Bread Pudding Served with a Whiskey Caramel (VEGETARIAN, CONTAINS GLUTEN, DAIRY, EGGS) A Heatable Eatable-style dinner brought to you by Elroy’s ST. PADDY’S DAY FEAST
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