By: Donald V. Watkins
Copyrighted and Published on February 9, 2025
An Editorial Opinion
Last week, my sister Marie and I developed a "Watkins Family Survival Guide in the Age of Trumpism." Marie is the matriarch of the Watkins family and I am its patriarch.
The Survival Guide depicted below was emailed to Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family members worldwide. The Survival Guide speaks for itself.
The Survival Guide is a navigational tool to help family members around the world survive the rapidly changing geo-political and socio-economic conditions in America and abroad in the Age of Trumpism.
The Carmichael/Varnado/Watkins family prepared similar Survival Guides for family members during prior transitional periods in American history, including: (a) the end of the Civil War, (b) the rise of Jim Crow laws in old Confederate states, (c) the heyday of White Supremacy in southern society, and (d) the growing Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.
On July 15, 2013, I prepared and published "Basic Survival Rules for Black Teenagers in America." Thes Basic Survival Rules were distributed to all Watkins family members in the aftermath of the controversial 2012 killing of 17-year-old Treyvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. This Guide helped to keep our teenage family members safe.
Given the affirmative steps taken by President Donald Trump and First Buddy Elon Musk to place known white supremacists in top federal government leadership positions, my siblings and I agreed to make this Survival Guide available to the public, as well. Hopefully, this Guide will help women and people of color in America and around the world survive Trump's intense Blitzkrieg against them.
common sense practices I used, sans cell phone usage, when I was the only white boy on the crew and worked 2nd shift on the south side.
People are people and over 6 years I had very few issues. but I never had any stereotypical expectations based on color when I walked the streets to and from work.