How to turn moments into momentum Renee Montgomery
What would make me quit my job
during the pandemic?
The short answer: injustice in America.
But since I have a little time,
let me give you the long version.
In May 2020, protests broke out
across the United States.
George Floyd, a Minnesota man,
was killed by a couple
of police officers on camera
and hundreds of thousands
of Americans had had enough.
Like so many others,
I watched the protests on the news.
I watched as the crowd moved
from downtown Atlanta to Buckhead,
where I live.
The protesters were right
outside of my house,
so in true millennial fashion,
I took out my phone so I could
record it and post it to Twitter.
After logging the events,
I called my parents,
and as I was talking to my snook,
which is what I call my mom,
I began to get a little worried.
The energy of the crowd was growing
and snook told me, “Don’t worry, baby,
when people feel
that their voices aren’t heard,
they have to make it felt.”
Hm.
They have to make it felt.
That statement hit me hard because,
why weren’t people being heard?
I mean, if we’re all watching
the same thing,
then why aren’t we all upset?
And how could I help make a difference?
No, better yet, how could I make it felt?
That was the moment I began
to think about opting out …
opting out of a career
I dreamed of my entire life.
I’ve been playing in the WNBA since 2009,
most recently as a guard
for the Atlanta Dream.
Basketball has been one
of the biggest parts of my life,
and yet I decided to give it up,
trying to focus on changing
the world for the better.
I wanted to make it felt.
Some people thought I was crazy,
but honestly, most people got it,
and even though I was filled with fear,
I took that leap of faith
and did it anyway.
I opted out not knowing
how I was going to pay my bills.
I opted out not knowing
if I would ever be
a professional WNBA player again.
I opted out of my comfort zone,
and in doing so, I truly opted in.
I gained a completely
different perspective
and the confidence that comes
with turning moments into momentum.
The next day I threw a Juneteenth event,
and Juneteenth is a day to commemorate
the official end of slavery.
At the event, people were telling me
they heard my story,
they were coming up to me like,
“Yo, you opted out! That’s so dope!”
But then they began to vent to me,
telling me about uncles
pulled over for no reason,
cousins killed by the police.
They wanted me to know their stories
so I could represent their voices,
and in that moment,
I felt so connected with helping them.
They felt that I was the person
that could make their stories felt,
and honestly,
I was committed to doing
whatever I needed to make that happen.
I don’t know how to cure racism,
fix police brutality
or any of the other problems
plaguing America.
No one person can do that.
But we all can do
what we can to make it felt.
Making it felt for me is an action.
It’s not just protesting
and raising your voice,
but also doing something
to show your intention.
I opted out and now you feel me.
Honestly, that was a big move for me,
but now that I’ve done it,
it feels like it was almost inevitable.
And while making it felt
can have a negative connotation
of violence and trouble,
I wanted to show that it could
also have a really positive form.
Playing in the WNBA
has afforded me a platform,
and with that platform,
I want to create positive change.
So big picture,
I want to level the playing field
so that everyone has access
to the same opportunities,
regardless of race.
To do this I know I need
to increase exposure
to the young Black and brown youth,
showing them explosive fields like tech
and creating ways for them
to develop those skills
so they can seize the opportunities.
We’re creating a workshop
and partnering with organizations
already doing the work,
taking small steps now
that I know will have
a big impact in the future.
A lot of times we underestimate
what we can do –
the effect we can have.
Imagine if we all started to think
about “How can I make it felt?”
If we all took that leap of faith
to stand for what we believe is right,
regardless of the very real fear
embedded in that decision,
I think we would then start to fulfill
the title of the United States of America
instead of the divided states
that we’re seeing right now.
I know from basketball
that all it takes is a single moment,
a second, to change everything.
So let’s choose to turn
our moments into momentum.
I’m making it felt,
are you?
Thank you.