Meet Carnell Staples | Organizer/Activist with Dream Defenders

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carnell Staples and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carnell, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by the perseverance of my community. The fact that we have been systematically oppressed for generations and still manage to find joy and in so many cases thrive under these conditions lets me know that anything is possible. I look forward to the day when our community is finally in a unified position to truly fight and achieve liberation in this country.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am the distributed organizer for Dream Defenders in Broward County. It involves engaging, educating, and empowering Black and Brown folks regarding issues that effect their community. I believe that relational organizing is the best way to achieve this, meaning that we’re going into neighborhoods and having one on one conversations with the people, meeting them where they’re at and listening more than speaking.

It has been a long road to get to where I am, and I have had many jobs before landing into this career. When George Floyd was murdered, it lit a fire in me that has yet to be extinguished. I had done work with Americorp during my college years, volunteering at soup kitchens and after school programs, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I really became deeply involved in community organizing. It was not an easy transition into full time organizing work, as I had only been volunteering and had no idea how I would be able to maintain the momentum while still working full time as a medical staffing consultant. I didn’t realize that you could make a living doing the work. So when I quit my job and accepted a fellowship position during the 2020 election season, I knew that going forward that there was no other career I wanted to pursue. So I made sure that my work made such an impression on the community that when the fellowship was over in November of that same year, that organizations would see that I was good enough to bring in for a full time position. And that was exactly what happened, as I accepted my current position with Dream Defenders one month later.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout my journey has been that the hardest goals can not be achieved without community, and at some point all of the greatest social justice figures have had help along the way. No one can do this work alone, and without love and support from our community, we can only go but so far in this movement. When it comes to me and my work, I just want people to know that I’m standing on the shoulders of my ancestors and when my time in the movement is done, I hope that the work that I’ve put in will help future generations push the needle forward to achieve the ultimate goal of Black liberation.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First things first I would absolutely take them to the beach. I love the water and Broward County has so many amazing and relaxing beaches. Another cool place I would take them is Butterfly World. I’ve only been once, but it’s one of my favorite attractions in the area.

I don’t really eat out much, but if I had to choose a place, it would have to represent the cultures that are so important to South Florida. Donna’s Caribbean Restaurants are a good place for Jamaican food if you’re not from the area, and 925 Caribbean Flavors in Fort Lauderdale has great Cuban food as well. I’m sure there are some less popular spots that I’m unfamiliar with, but like I said, I don’t eat out much.

As for fun places to hang out, I have to say that Tenth Level Tavern in Oakland Park is one of my favorite places in Broward County. It’s a gamer bar with retro games as well as current ones, and the selection of craft beers are among some of the best I’ve had. And every Thursday, they have karaoke night with Send Me An Angel Karaoke, a local business that hosts karaoke parties every day of the week in various bars and restaurants around Broward County. You’re not going to find a better mix of people and personalities then you’ll see there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I need to acknowledge that I would not be the person I am today if it were not for my 11th grade U.S. History teacher, Mr. Bryant. He sadly passed away on Christmas of my junior year, but the impact he had on me has stayed with me ever since. He was the first teacher I ever had to teach me how to learn, and not what to learn, a lesson that unfortunately has alluded so many Americans. He also showed me the importance of serving your community, which I continue to do to this day. Having strong, positive, Black male role models where I come from is a rarity, so I definitely consider myself blessed to have met him and had the opportunity to gain some of the knowledge he had before his untimely passing. He is in my thoughts whenever I do this work.

I also would like to thank Dream Defenders, my political home and my extended family. I’ve learned so much from my colleagues and fellow organizers, and it has helped shaped how I engage with people inside and outside of my community when it comes to politics and social justice. The Freedom Papers is the blueprint for how I imagine a world away from prisons, war, poverty, and injustice here as well as abroad. The bravery of Black led socialist movements in a capitalist country dominated by white supremacist ideas is admirable and has cost many their freedom, and in some cases their lives, so the work should never be understated. The Dream Defenders has shown me that it is ok to think outside of what we’ve been taught, and that my vision of what the Black community can achieve is not one I share alone.

Website: www.dreamdefenders.org

Instagram: @therealcj156

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carnell-staples-237836a2