The Times Change—And So Do We

"The only constant in life is change."-Heraclitus"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same

“The only constant in life is change.”-Heraclitus

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”-Heraclitus

Times have always changed.

They will continue to do so—because that’s what time does. And with it, we human beings shift, elevate, and transform. Sometimes we do it loudly in the streets. Other times, we do it softly in our homes, in our art, in our words, in our kitchens, and in our quiet choices. But make no mistake: we do change, and when Black folks change, we move the world.

Let’s take a moment to talk about a man you know well—Samuel L. Jackson.

Before the iconic “Snakes on a Plane,” before the Marvel Universe, before becoming one of the most recognizable Black storytellers in the world—Samuel L. Jackson was a Black revolutionary. A man who, as a college student in 1969, was so serious about justice that he participated in the armed takeover of a campus building at Morehouse College, holding members of the board hostage to demand changes in curriculum and governance. He was suspended for it. But that act of defiance? It was part of his evolution.

From there, he went on to join the Negro Ensemble Company, a Black theater company that nurtured radical imagination. Through storytelling, theater, and performance, he carved out space not just for himself—but for a world where our stories could be told, raw and unfiltered.

And did you know? He’s related to Michael and Janet Jackson—a family whose global storytelling through music, rhythm, and presence helped shape identity, resistance, and culture for generations of Black people worldwide.

The point? There isn’t just one way to fight.

Now may not be the time for marching. And that’s okay. Every revolution doesn’t wear boots and chant slogans. Every movement doesn’t get covered on the 6 o’clock news. Sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is live your truth, protect your peace, or pour into another life with love and intention.

Below are 50+ powerful ways Black revolutionaries continue to change the world—ways you can still be part of the movement, no marching shoes required:

50 Ways Black People Have—and Still—Change the World

Storytelling – Oral, written, visual. Our stories are resistance.
Writing books, poetry, blogs – Sharing truth, history, and imagination.
Theater & performance – Telling our narratives on our own stages.
Raising conscious children – Teaching the next generation truth and pride.
Starting a community garden – Reclaiming land and nurturing life.
Mentoring youth – Protecting our legacy.
Funding Black creatives – Putting money into minds and messages.
Building safe spaces – For healing, learning, rest, and resistance.
Running for local office – Change starts at the neighborhood level.
Cooking for the community – Nourishment is sacred.
Organizing book clubs – Intellectual rebellion.
Podcasting – Amplifying unfiltered Black voices.
Creating mutual aid networks – People taking care of people.
Art & painting – Expressing what words can’t say.
Preserving Black history – Archives, museums, oral histories.
Dancing our truth – Movement as protest.
Starting businesses that serve us – Economic power is political power.
Building Black homeschooling networks – Teaching without distortion.
Practicing ancestral spiritual traditions – Reclaiming the sacred.
Writing screenplays & making films – Shaping how we’re seen.
Advocating for survivors of abuse – Protecting the most vulnerable.
Spiritual leadership rooted in justice – Churches, temples, circles.
Disrupting harmful narratives on social media – One post at a time.
Supporting Black farmers – Land is liberation.
Journaling and healing – Your healing is an act of war against oppression.
Building digital platforms – Spaces where we are centered and safe.
Crafting powerful affirmations – Words shape minds, hearts, and futures.
Teaching Black history and literature – Filling in the gaps.
Supporting survivors of state violence – Justice with love.
Celebrating joy loudly – Joy is rebellion.
Creating clothing or art that tells a story – Fashion as resistance.
Participating in restorative justice circles – Healing harm, not just punishing it.
Writing protest songs & freedom music – The soundtrack of liberation.
Protecting elders and wisdom-keepers – They hold the blueprint.
Building podcasts or YouTube channels – Unfiltered, uncensored, ours.
Helping people vote smart – Strategy, not just turnout.
Translating complex systems for the people – Making info accessible.
Creating documentaries – Showing what others try to hide.
Healing through bodywork and wellness – Revolution through health.
Supporting women-led and survivor-led organizations – Centering care.
Creating spaces for grief and mourning – Because we deserve to process.
Holding workshops and teach-ins – Education is elevation.
Starting radical newsletters – Spreading real knowledge.
Celebrating our ancestors – They paved the way.
Calling out harm inside the community – Love doesn’t mean silence.
Resting. Seriously. – Rest is resistance.
Creating children’s books with Black heroes – Imagining new futures.
Learning and teaching financial literacy – Closing the wealth gap.
Building tech for liberation – Data, security, autonomy.
Loving out loud. – Because we deserve that, too.