Lessons from Lockdown: The Community Organizer

As the CEO of Six Square, a group dedicated to support and uplift Black culture in East Austin, Pamela Benson Owens has always been dedicated to bringing attention to the racial and economic disparities in Austin. But the pandemic exposed just how deep and systemic those disparities really are. “We had this cacophony of the pandemic, and fear, and then social unrest,” she said. “And I think it was just a perfect storm of all these things that were really important that were brought to the forefront.”
In the midst of a social justice movement, and as the coronavirus hit communities of color particularly hard, Owens and Six Square pivoted to address head-on the economic hardships and racial disparities that faced artists, entrepreneurs, and others during the pandemic. “We were tasked with helping in a different way - in an immediate way,” she said. Six Square now hosts virtual musical performances, engages with the community through livestreamed panel discussions, and has raised around $55,000 so far in covid relief, according to Owens.
Owens has seen an uptick in support of her advocacy efforts in the past year among her fellow Austinites. She thanks the new supporters, and tells them they can’t stop there. “You can’t just do it by wearing a T-shirt, you can’t just do it by one donation,” she said. “It’s got to be an ongoing commitment to equity in this city.”
Video by Julia Reihs
Additional footage courtesy of Six Square